The Ass And His Purchaser
A man wished to purchase an Ass, and agreed with its owner that he
should try out the animal before he bought him. He took the Ass home
and put him in the straw-yard with his other Asses, upon which the
new animal left all the others and at once joined the one that was
most idle and the greatest eater of them all. Seeing this, the man
put a halter on him and led him back to his owner. On being asked
how, in so short a time, he could have made a trial of him, he answered,
"I do not need a trial; I know that he will be just the same as the
one he chose for his companion."
A man is known by the company he keeps.
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