Townsend 260. The Gnat and the Bull

Aesop's Fables: Townsend (1867)

260. The Gnat and the Bull (Perry 137)

A GNAT settled on the horn of a Bull, and sat there a long time. Just as he was about to fly off, he made a buzzing noise, and inquired of the Bull if he would like him to go. The Bull replied, 'I did not know you had come, and I shall not miss you when you go away.'
Some men are of more consequence in their own eyes than in the eyes of their neighbors.

George Fyler Townsend's translation of the fables, first published in 1867, is in the public domain and can be found at many websites, including Project Gutenberg. Illustrations come from: Aesop's Fables, by George Fyler Townsend, with illustrations by Harrison Weir, 1867, at Google Books.