The Treasury and the Arms

A fable by Ambrose Bierce

Satire for older readers

A public treasury, feeling two arms reaching into its contents, exclaimed, "Mr. Shareman, I move for a division!"

"You seem to know something about parliamentary forms of speech," said the two arms.

"Yes," replied the public treasury. "I am familiar with the hauls of legislation."

The moral

Transparency and accountability are essential in managing public resources.

Discussion questions

What does the Public Treasury represent in our society today?
How can we ensure accountability in managing public resources?
Can you think of a time when a lack of transparency led to problems in governance?

Tomorrow night: The Fox and the Crane