The Spendthrift and the Swallow

A young man, a great spendthrift, had run through all his patrimony and
had but one good cloak left. One day he happened to see a Swallow, which
had appeared before its season, skimming along a pool and twittering
gaily. He supposed that summer had come, and sold his cloak.

Not many days later, winter set in again with renewed frost and cold.

When he found the unfortunate Swallow lifeless on the ground, he
said, "Unhappy bird! what have you done? By thus appearing before the
springtime you have not only killed yourself, but you have wrought my
destruction also."