Two Travellers and The Bear

Two friends were travelling on the same road together when they came face to face with a bear. One, in great fear, and without a thought of his companion, climbed into a tree and hid. The other, seeing that single-handed he was no match for the bear, threw himself on the ground and feigned death, for he had heard that a bear will not touch a dead boy.

The bear approached him, sniffing at his nose and ears, but the man, with great courage, held his breath and kept still, and at learning the bear, supposing him to be dead, walked slowly ahead.

When the bear was well out of sight the first traveller came down from his tree and asked what it was that the bear had said to him. "For", said he, "I observed that he put his mouth very close to your ear. He replied the other, "It was not great secret". "Why?" He replied, "he only advised me not to keep company with those who when they get into difficulty, leave their friends in the lurch."