An army that had been winning battle after battle suddenly saw its combat strength drop sharply.
The general was puzzled to see his once agile soldiers—who used to scale steep ridges as if they had wings—now struggling even to walk across flat ground. He ordered the soldiers to open their packs.
Out spilled piles of valuable spoils of war.
Ignoring the soldiers’ reluctance and regret, the general had all the spoils burned.
From then on, the army regained its strength—and its victories.