The Policeman and the Citizen

  A POLICEMAN, finding a man that had fallen in a fit, said, "This
man is drunk," and began beating him on the head with his club.  A
passing Citizen said:

  "Why do you murder a man that is already harmless?"

  Thereupon the Policeman left the man in a fit and attacked the
Citizen, who, after receiving several severe contusions, ran away.

  "Alas," said the Policeman, "why did I not attack the sober one
before exhausting myself upon the other?"

  Thenceforward he pursued that plan, and by zeal¹ and diligence rose
to be Chief, and sobriety is unknown in the region subject to his
sway.