The Blacksmith and His Dog

There was once a blacksmith who had a little dog. While he hammered away at his metal, the dog slept. But whenever he sat down to have dinner, the dog woke up.

"You sluggard!" cried the brazier, throwing him a bone. "You sleep through the noise of the anvil, but wake up at the first clatter of my teeth."

People are always awake when food is on the platter, but they often turn a deaf ear when called to work.