SOME THIEVES broke into a house and found nothing but a Cock,
whom they stole, and got off as fast as they could.  Upon
arriving at home they prepared to kill the Cock, who thus pleaded
for his life:  "Pray spare me; I am very serviceable to men.  I
wake them up in the night to their work."  "That is the very
reason why we must the more kill you," they replied; "for when
you wake your neighbors, you entirely¹ put an end to our
business." 


The safeguards of virtue² are hateful to those with evil
intentions. 

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