One good turn deserves another

The ants were busily searching the banks of the stream for food when one of them, getting too close to the water, tumbled in. "Help." he called in his tiny voice as he was swept away. The other ants crowded the bank, but what could they do?

Just then a pigeon, flying overhead, swooped into the trees, broke off a twig and dropped it into the water by the little ant. He clambered onto it and was saved. The ants on the bank of the stream cheered like anything.

Many days later, a bird-catcher, hunting for pigeons, came with a bundle of twigs that he had covered in poison. But the ants knew exactly what he was doing and determined to save their friendly pigeon.

They came swarming out of their nest and crawled all over the bird-catcher, stinging and biting him.

He threw his bundle of poisoned twigs into the stream and ran away as fast as his legs would carry him.