Babrius, Fables 121

ὄρνις ποτ’ ἠσθένησε. τῇ δὲ προσκύψας
αἴλουρος εἶπε ‘πῶς ἔχεις; τίνων χρῄζεις;
ἐγὼ παρέξω πάντα σοι· μόνον σῴζου.’
ἡ δ’ ‘ἢν ἀπέλθῃς’ εἶπεν ‘οὐκ ἀποθνήσκω.’

Once upon a time a bird was unwell. A cat sidled up to her and said, ‘How are you? Is there anything you need? I’ll get everything for you; just don’t die!’ The bird said, ‘If you were to go away I wouldn’t die.’