BOTTOM FEEDERS (THE MORAL OF THE STORY)

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Once upon a time there was a sea turtle and a wolf who became friends. Now you might think that these are two animals who wouldn't have much to do with each other. And you'd be right. One was a plodding, oddly-shaped ocean dweller, while the other was a sleek predator who prowled the forests for unwary deer. Their friendship began when the wolf was out hunting and saw the turtle sunning himself on the beach. The turtle looked rather unappetizing, so there was never any real thought of eating him. Nonetheless, the wolf was curious about this curious creature. And vice versa. The two got to talking and the turtle told the wolf about an island not too far offshore that was filled with delicious animals just waiting to be eaten. Needless to say, the story got the wolf's attention. A deal was quickly struck in which the turtle would ferry the wolf to the island every day in exchange for a portion of whatever the wolf killed. This arrangement worked out quite well. Many years went by and both animals got fat and happy. But there came a time when the wolf decided he didn't need the turtle anymore and could swim to the island on his own. After all, he'd been watching the turtle make the daily journey for a long time and it certainly didn't look very hard. But it was. Not long after the wolf jumped into the ocean, he was quickly overcome by the relentless waves and fierce undertow. He struggled and howled, but to no avail. The proud wolf sank to the floor of the sea where his body was quickly engulfed by a swarm of bottom-feeding crabs. His last thought was, "I wonder if it's too late to work with the turtle?" The moral of the story? Stick with the program or be stuck with bottom-feeding crabs.