An ass, seeing the dog fawn upon his master, and how he was crammed at his table each day, and had bits thrown to him in abundance by the servants, thus remarked: "If the master and the servants are so very fond of a most filthy dog, what must it be with me, if I should pay him similar attentions, who am much better than this dog, and useful and praiseworthy in many respects; who am supported by the pure streams of undefiled water, and never in the habit of feeding upon nasty food? surely I am more worthy than a whelp to enjoy a happy life, and to obtain the highest honor." While the ass is thus soliloquising, he sees his master enter the stable; so running up to him in haste and braying aloud, he leaps upon him, claps both feet on his shoulders, begins to lick his face; and tearing his clothes with his dirty hoofs, he fatigues his master with his heavy weight, as he stupidly fawns upon him. At their master's outcry the servants run to the spot, and seizing everywhere such sticks and stones as come in their way, they punish the braying beast, and knocking him off his master's body, soon send him back, half-dead to the manger, with sore limbs and battered rump. 
This fable teaches that a fool is not to thrust himself upon those who do not want him, or affect to perform the part of one superior to him. 