Fable 17 - The Goat herd and the Wild Goats

A goatherd, having led his goats to pasture, noticed that they were mixing with some wild goats. And, when evening fell, he herded
all of them into his cave together. The next day, a great storm raged. Not being able to lead them out to pasture as usual, he left them
inside. To his own goats he gave only a handful of fodder, just enough to keep them from starving. But for the strangers, on the other
hand, he increased the ration, with the intention of keeping them as well.
When the bad weather was almost over he let them all out to pasture. But, upon reaching the mountain, the wild goats ran away. As
the goatherd shouted after them, accusing them of ingratitude for thus abandoning him after all the care he had taken of them,
they turned round to reply:
‘All the more reason for us to be suspicious. For if you treated us, mere newcomers, better than you old flock, it’s quite clear that if
some other goats came along you would then neglect us for them.’

This fable shows that one ought not to welcome the over-friendly advances of new acquaintance in preference to old friendship.
We must remember that when we have become old friends they will strike up friendships with others, and those new
friends will become their favorites.