The end of a comfortable life

The local bird- catcher was sitting in front of the fire one evening when there was a knock on the door. It was an old friend , who he hadn't seen for ages. "Come in," he cried. overjoyed to see him. "You must be hungry." But then he remembered he hadn't any food in the house good enough to give an old friend. So he seized the plump partridge he kept for attracting wild birds to his garden so he could catch them. "Don't kill me," begged the partridge. "Think of all the birds I've helped you catch." "Ah, yes," said the birds I've helped you catch." "Ah, yes," said the bird-catcher, "you've had a long and comfortable life through betraying other birds. Now you must pay the price."