The fleas in Aesop's story ……………

Aesop, a Greek folk hero, who is supposed to have lived in the 6th century BC, acquired a great reputation as a teller of animal fables. According to one tradition, he was born in Thrace, lived for a while as a slave on the Island of Samoa, was freed and travelled widely, and was murdered while visiting Delphi. Aristotle describes (330 BC) how Aesop defended a corrupt politician by telling the story of the fox and the hedgehog. A fox, Aesop said, was troubled by fleas, and a hedgehog asked if he could help remove them. The fox replied: “No, these fleas are full and no longer suck much blood. If you take them away, new, hungry fleas will come.' “So, gentlemen of the jury,” Aesop is supposed to have said. “If you put my client to death, others will come along who are not rich and will rob you completely.”