A man once caught a weasel, which was always sneaking about the house,
and was just going to drown it in a tub of water,
when it begged hard for its life, and said him,
"Surely you haven't the heart to put me to death?
Think how useful I have been in clearing your house of the
mice and lizards which used to infest it,
and show your gratitude by sparing my life."
"You have not been altogether useless, I grant you,"
said the man: "but who killed the fowls? Who stole the meat?
No no! You do much more harm than good, and die you shall."