The Herdsman And The Lost Bull
A herdsman tending his flock in a forest lost a Bull-calf from the
fold. After a long and fruitless search, he made a vow that, if he
could only discover the thief who had stolen the Calf, he would offer
a lamb in sacrifice to Hermes, Pan, and the Guardian Deities of the
forest. Not long afterwards, as he ascended a small hillock, he saw
at its foot a Lion feeding on the Calf. Terrified at the sight, he
lifted his eyes and his hands to heaven, and said: "Just now I vowed
to offer a lamb to the Guardian Deities of the forest if I could only
find out who had robbed me; but now that I have discovered the thief,
I would willingly add a full-grown Bull to the Calf I have lost, if
I may only secure my own escape from him in safety."
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