There was a fly buzzing around the fire, and she asked the salamander, "Why do you suffer such danger and peril to earn your living?" The fly did not know that salamanders feed on fire.
"Come here into the fire with me," said the salamander, "and I will give you gold in abundance. You will earn a living without having to work."
The fly agreed. She flew straight into the midst of the fire, hoping to get the gold, and instead she burst into flames.
Inspired by: Mille Fabulae et Una, a collection of Latin fables that I've edited, free to read online. I am not translating the Latin here; instead, I am just telling a 100-word version of the fable.
Notes: This is fable 632 in the book, and it is not in Perry's catalog. The parable comes from Odo of Cheriton. You can read about medieval salamander legends at Bestiary.ca. Here is a quote from Isidore of Seville: The salamander alone of animals puts out fires; it can live in fire without pain and without being burned. Of all the venomous animals its strength is the greatest because it kills many at once.
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