The Gardener and the Dog

063. THE GARDENER AND THE DOG. A Gardener's Dog fell into a deep well, from which his master used to draw water for the plants in his garden with a rope and a bucket. Failing to get the Dog out by means of these, the Gardener went down into the well himself in order to fetch him up. But the Dog thought he had come to make sure of drowning him; so he bit his master as soon as he came within reach, and hurt him a good deal, with the result that he left the Dog to his fate and climbed out of the well, remarking, "It serves me quite right for trying to save so determined a suicide." (V. S. Vernon-Jones) [more info]

The Gardener and his Dog

192. THE GARDENER AND HIS DOG. A gardener's dog, frisking about the brink of a well in the garden, happened to fall into it. The gardener very readily ran to his assistance; but as he was endeavouring to help him out, the cur bit him by the hand. The man took this ungrateful treatment so unkindly, that he left him to shift for himself with this expostulation: “Wicked wretch,” quoth he, “are you so unreasonable as to injure the hand that comes to save your life! The hand of me, your master, who have hitherto fed and taken care of you! Die, as you deserve; for so mischievous and ill-natured a creature is not fit to live.” [more info]