A stag, chased from his lair by hounds, took refuge in a farmyard. He entered a stable where oxen were stalled and hid under a pile of hay in a vacant stall, though the tips of his horns remained visible.
Presently, an ox said to him, "What brings you here? Don't you know the herdsmen might capture you?"
The stag replied, "Please let me stay for now. When night falls, I can easily escape under cover of darkness."
Throughout the afternoon, several farmhands came to tend to the cattle, but none noticed the stag. Feeling relieved, the stag began to congratulate himself and thanked the oxen.
"We wish you well," said the same ox, "but you are not safe yet. If the master comes, his keen eyes will surely find you."
Sure enough, the master soon arrived. He complained loudly about the care of the oxen. "The beasts are starving!" he cried. "Give them more hay and plenty of bedding."
As he spoke, he grabbed an armful of hay from the pile where the stag lay hidden and immediately spotted him. Calling his men, he had the stag seized and killed for the table.