True friendship is characterized most by loyalty, for loyalty is the virtue that sustains friendships through any hardship. Loyalty gives us the courage to remain with friends, even when there is no advantage to be gained. In his short story, "Two Travelers and a Bear," Aesop shows how easily our friendship can be tested and how easy it is to fall short as friends. Two friends walk together in the forest. Suddenly, a giant bear emerges from the forest, charging towards the two men. One of the men, "thinking of his own safety," climbs a tree to get away from the bear.