An old Arab story goes that two boys – one rich and the other poor – were returning home from the market.<>
The rich boy bought honey-covered cookies and the poor one, a piece of old bread.<>
‘I will let you eat my cookie if you play the dog for me,’ the rich boy said.<>
The poor boy accepted and, on his fours on the walkway, he began to eat the rich boy’s goodies.<>
The wise man Fath, who was watching the scene, said:<>
‘If this poor boy had a little bit of dignity he would find out a way of making money.<>
‘But he prefers to turn into the rich boy’s dog in order to eat his cookies.<>
‘Tomorrow, when he is grown up, he will do the same for a public office and will be capable of betraying his country for a bag of gold.’<>