152.The Fox and the Woodcutter
A FOX, running before the hounds, came across a woodcutter felling an oak and begged him to show him a safe hiding-place. The woodcutter advised him to take shelter in his own hut, so the fox crept in and hid himself in a corner. The huntsman soon came up with his hounds and asked of the woodcutter if he had seen the fox. He declared that he had not seen him, and yet pointed, all the time he was speaking, to the hut where the fox lay hidden. The huntsman took no notice of the signs, but believing his word, hastened forward in the chase. As soon as they were well away, the fox departed without taking any notice of the woodcutter: whereon he called to him and reproached him, saying,
“You ungrateful fellow, you owe your life to me, and yet you leave me without a word of thanks.”
The fox replied,
“Indeed, I should have thanked you fervently if your deeds had been as good as your words, and if your hands had not been traitors to your speech.”
Your deeds must be as good as your words.
151.The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail
A FOX caught in a trap escaped, but in so doing lost his tail. Thereafter, feeling his life a burden from the shame and ridicule to which he was exposed, he schemed to convince all the other Foxes that being tailless was much more attractive, thus making up for his own deprivation. He assembled a good many Foxes and publicly advised them to cut off their tails, saying that they would not only look much better without them, but that they would get rid of the weight of the brush, which was a very great inconvenience. One of them interrupting him said,
“If you had not yourself lost your tail, my friend, you would not thus counsel us.”
❖ The tailless stand out from the crowd or will be overlooked.
150.The Fox and the Monkey
A MONKEY once danced in an assembly of the beasts, and so pleased them all by his performance that they elected him their king. A fox, envying him the honor, discovered a piece of meat lying in a trap, and leading the monkey to the place where it was, said that she had found a store, but had not used it e had kept it for him as treasure trove of his kingdom, and counseled him to lay hold of it. The monkey drew near carelessly and was caught in the trap; and on his accusing the fox of purposely leading him into the snare, she replied,
“Monkey, and are you, with such a mind as yours, going to be king over the beasts?”
# A false tale often betrays itself.
149.The Fox and the Mask
A FOX had by some means got into the store-room of a theatre. Suddenly he observed a face glaring down on him and began to be very frightened; but looking more closely he found it was only a Mask such as actors use to put over their face. “Ah,” said the Fox, “you look very fine; it is a pity you have not got any brains.”
“OUTSIDE SHOW IS A POOR SUBSTITUTE FOR INNER WORTH.”
