Some thieves broke into a house and found nothing but a cock,whom they stole, and got off as fast as they could. Uponarriving at home they prepared to kill the cock, who thus pleadedfor his life: "Pray spare me; I am very serviceable to men. iwake them up in the night to their work." "That is the veryreason why we must the more kill you," They replied; "For whenyou wake your neighbors, you entirely1 put an end to ourbusiness." 
The safeguards of virtue2 are hateful to those with evil intentions. 