The Sportsman and the Squirrel

  A SPORTSMAN who had wounded a Squirrel, which was making desperate
efforts to drag itself away, ran after it with a stick, exclaiming:

  "Poor thing!  I will put it out of its misery¹."

  At that moment the Squirrels stopped from exhaustion², and looking
up at its enemy, said:

  "I don't venture to doubt the sincerity³ of your compassion⁴, though
it comes rather late, but you seem to lack the faculty⁵ of
observation.  Do you not perceive by my actions that the dearest
wish of my heart is to continue in my misery?"

  At this exposure of his hypocrisy⁶, the Sportsman was so overcome
with shame and remorse⁷ that he would not strike the Squirrel, but
pointing it out to his dog, walked thoughtfully away.