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P. V. Ramaswami Raju

The Elephant and the Fly

A fly, who lived in a palace, once said to one of the king's elephants, "Look! you do such hard work, yet you are confined in a shed, far from the palace; whereas I do nothing, yet I range over the whole palace and amuse myself where I like, even on the crowned head of the king."

"That is because you are such an insignificant thing," said the elephant.

The fly was abashed, and said, "Alas! it signifies nothing where a fly lives!"