The Squirrels and the Robin
One cool day in late autumn, two Squirrels were storing away a stache of nuts when a frail Robin flew to them. The Robin held forth a bowl in his wings and humbly chirped, "Dear Squirrels, would you be so kind as to offer me an almond to eat?"
"Oh!" cried the Squirrels in shock. "It has been a long and plentiful summer! Have you not stored away any of the surplus for your own use during the winter season?"
"No," said the Robin in shame.
"What on Manrien's good name did you do all spring and summer?" pushed the Squirrels.
"I didn't have time to store up any food. The mountain ash berries were wonderfully fermented, and I spent the summer drinking and making merry with my friends out of this very bowl in my wing. Before I knew it, the summer was gone!" whined the Robin, holding out her bowl. "Would you spare a single almond for me?"
The Squirrels guffawed at the Robin.
"Making merry, were you?" they chortled. "What need have you for food in your bowl when you have had plenty to drink from it!" And they turned away from the Robin and carried on with their work.
This fable is one of Jasant Ferberg's famous and most popular with a universal message: "If you want to rest, you have to work" or, more colloquially, "Work hard, Play Hard." Another possible interpretation is "Do not overindulge," although this neglects the important second half of the story about hard work and preparation. The reference to almonds in particular in this Fable lends it a special Pelozerian flair (see Halfling), as their capital Almeiras is famous for and indeed named after its grove of almond trees. Some literary scholars believe Ferberg wrote this fable while visiting Almeiras, although this cannot be certain.
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