01-06-2009, 04:23 AM
Fables & Stories
Aesop, as most people know, became famous for all the fables he wrote. A fable being a short story or poem which often used animals to convey a point or moral to the reader. He used Fox a lot in his stories, but not always as the stereotypical mean, bad villain as is much the case now. Often Fox used his or her wit to their advantage, but most noted is that although Fox sometimes teamed up with others, he or she never lost their independance, as was often shown.
* The Bear and the Fox.
* The Crane and the Fox.
* The Fox and the Crow (sometimes also known as 'The Fox and the Raven')
* The Fox and the Grapes.
* The Fox who lost his Tail.
* The Lion, the Bear and the Fox.
* The Lion, the Fox and the Ass.
* The Lion, the Mouse, and the Fox.
* The Peasant, the Snake, and the Fox.
* The Fox the Briar Bush.
* The Fox and the Ass's Brains
* The Fox, the Cock and the Dog
* The Fox and the Ass in the Lion's Skin (2)
* The Lioness and the Vixen
* The Fox and the Goat
* The Fox and the Stork
Of course, Aseop was not the only person to write stories featuring foxes as a main character. One such writer today is Tanais Fox, who has a small collection at his web site.
If you still want more books on foxes, check out TopFox's (aka John Cawley) catelogue of books, probably the largest collection around!
Fox also appears occasionally in Native American history, it being a totem animal though little known in comparison with animals such as Wolf and Coyote. The story of Coyote and the Rock features a Fox, this time as a travelling companion of Coyote, and also lends an explanation to the common white tail-tip of Fox.
There are also some good stories on the Tales of Wonder web pages. Here are links to a couple of ones that feature Fox:
* Ankakumikaityn the Nomad Wolf
* The Shepherd, the Tiger, and the Fox
On to a few more true stories now, Janet Wright keeps an eye out for a group of foxes on the Prince Edward Island in Canada, and posts her accounts regularly to the newsgroup alt.animals.foxes.
Finally, there is also a small fable which seems to say that Rabbits are superior to foxes and wolves?
http://web.archive.org/web/19990224161120/...%7Ethai/foxes...
Articles & modern stories
Myths & anciet stories
The kitsune book
Resources
The Bear and the Fox
A BEAR boasted very much of his philanthropy, saying that of all animals he was the most tender in his regard for man, for he had such respect for him that he would not even touch his dead body.
A Fox hearing these words said with a smile to the Bear, "Oh! that you would eat the dead and not the living."
http://web.archive.org/web/19990224205740/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox and the Crane
A FOX invited a Crane to supper and provided nothing for his entertainment but some soup made of pulse, which was poured out into a broad flat stone dish. The soup fell out of the long bill of the Crane at every mouthful, and his vexation at not being able to eat afforded the Fox much amusement.
The Crane, in his turn, asked the Fox to sup with him, and set before her a flagon with a long narrow mouth, so that he could easily insert his neck and enjoy its contents at his leisure. The Fox, unable even to taste it, met with a fitting requital, after the fashion of her own hospitality.
http://web.archive.org/web/19981202085630/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox and the Crow
Once upon a time . . . a big crow stole a lump of cheese and went to perch on a branch of a tree to eat it in peace.
A passing fox sniffed the air and stopped below the tree, his mouth watering. "Cheese?" he said. "Mmm. I'd love . . . if only I could . . ." he said to himself, greedily, wondering how to get hold of the morsel.
After a moment or two, he spoke to the crow: "You are a fine crow! I've never seen anyone so big and strong. What lovely thick shiny feathers you have! And such slender legs, the sign of a noble bird. And a regal beak. That's it: the beak of a king! You ought to be crowned King of the Birds!"
When the crow heard such glowing praise of his beauty, he stretched to his full length and triumphantly flapped his wings.
In his softest voice, the fox went on: "What lovely eyes you have. You don't seem to have a single fault! You're quite perfect."
The crow had never been flattered so much in all his life.
"Though I haven't heard your voice yet," went on the fox, "I expect that such a perfect creature like yourself can have nothing less than a wonderful singing voice!"
The crow had, till then, been blissfully drinking in the fox's praise, but he felt a prick of doubt at the sweet words about his voice. He had never heard that crows were fine singers! Of course, being a very fine crow, perhaps that meant he had a beautiful voice as well. The fox could be right!
And the crow gazed down at the fox as he said: "Now then, King of the Birds, let me hear a sweet song . . ."
Throwing caution to the winds, the crow opened his beak and, taking a deep breath, loudly cawed: "Cra, Cra, Cra!"
The lump of cheese fell through the air and the fox caught it neatly in his jaws. "I deserved that!" he told himself as he enjoyed the titbit. Then, licking his lips, he again spoke to the crow on the branch. "Silly crow. You're the ugliest bird I've ever seen, you have the worst voice I ve ever heard, but most of all, you're the most stupid bird I've ever met! And thanks for the cheese." And off he trotted well satisfied with himself...
http://web.archive.org/web/19990225093712/...~thai/foxes/s...
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."
http://web.archive.org/web/19981206221756/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox
A LION and a Bear seized a Kid at the same moment, and fought fiercely for its possession.
When they had fearfully lacerated each other and were faint from the long combat, they lay down exhausted with fatigue.
A Fox, who had gone round them at a distance several times, saw them both stretched on the ground with the Kid lying untouched in the middle. He ran in between them, and seizing the Kid scampered off as fast as he could.
The Lion and the Bear saw him, but not being able to get up, said, "Woe be to us, that we should have fought and belabored ourselves only to serve the turn of a Fox."
It sometimes happens that one man has all the toil, and another all the profit.
http://web.archive.org/web/19990127132119/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Lion, the Fox, and the Ass
THE LION, the Fox and the Ass entered into an agreement to assist each other in the chase.
Having secured a large booty, the Lion on their return from the forest asked the Ass to allot his due portion to each of the three partners in the treaty.
The Ass carefully divided the spoil into three equal shares and modestly requested the two others to make the first choice.
The Lion, bursting out into a great rage, devoured the Ass. Then he requested the Fox to do him the favor to make a division.
The Fox accumulated all that they had killed into one large heap and left to himself the smallest possible morsel.
The Lion said, "Who has taught you, my very excellent fellow, the art of division? You are perfect to a fraction."
He replied, "I learned it from the Ass, by witnessing his fate."
Happy is he who learns from the misfortunes of others.
http://web.archive.org/web/19990127143045/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Lion, the Mouse, and the Fox
A LION, fatigued by the heat of a summer's day, fell fast asleep in his den.
A Mouse ran over his mane and ears and woke him from his slumbers.
He rose up and shook himself in great wrath, and searched every corner of his den to find the Mouse.
A Fox seeing him said: "A fine Lion you are, to be frightened of a Mouse."
"'Tis not the Mouse I fear," said the Lion; "I resent his familiarity and ill-breeding."
Little liberties are great offenses.
http://web.archive.org/web/19990127162833/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Peasant, the Snake, and the Fox
Once upon a time, a peasant on his way home heard a feeble voice calling "Help! Help!"
He looked round, took a careful step or two then realised that the sound was coming from beneath a large boulder. He asked in amazement: "Who's that calling?"
And a voice replied, "It's me. The rock rolled down over my hole and I'm shut in. I can't get out, I'm going to die. Please help me. Move the boulder."
The peasant then asked: "But who are you?"
"I'm a poor snake," came the reply.
"A snake? But if I let you out you will bite me."
"No, no, I promise I won't. Get me out, please!"
The peasant allowed himself to be persuaded and he shifted the boulder . . . and out of a hole in the ground slid a snake which darted towards the peasant and tried to bite him.
The man jumped back and cried, "Why did you do that?"
The snake replied, "Because every good deed is rewarded by an evil one, didn't you know that?"
"No, I didn't. I don't think that's so," said the peasant.
"Very well," said the snake. "Let's go and ask someone. If we come across someone who thinks as you do, well, that's it, but if people say I'm right, then I shall bite you. Agreed?"
"Agreed," said the peasant, and off they went. A little later, they met an old mangy lame horse, thin and covered in scratches, with an uncombed mane and dirty tail.
The peasant spoke to him. "Listen, friend. If someone does a good deed, what does he get as his reward?"
Without a moment's hesitation, the horse replied. "A bad deed. Look at me! I served my master faithfully for years and now that I'm old, he has left me to die of starvation!"
At these words, the snake turned to the peasant and hissed, "Did you hear that? I shall bite you now!"
But the man exclaimed: "Wait! One question isn't enough! We have to ask someone else."
"Bother!" exclaimed the snake. "Very well, let's look for someone else, but wait and see, I'm right and I'll get my bite!"
So, leaving the horse behind, the pair went on their way.
They met a sheep which, at the peasant's question, said: "A good deed is always repaid with a bad deed. Look at me, I always follow my master and never complain. I obey him all the time and what does he do? He shears my fleece in winter, so I feel the cold, and makes me keep it in summer, so I melt with the heat!"
"Get ready," said the snake, "I'm about to bite!"
But the peasant said, "Please! We've had the first round, and the second one as well, now let's play the deciding round. If I'm wrong at the third question, then I'll let you bite me."
On they went, and in the wood, the peasant caught sight of a fox. Suddenly he had an idea. With an excuse, he left the snake on the road and ran into the wood to speak to the fox.
"Listen, fox, do you too think that a good deed is always rewarded by a bad one?"
"Of course!" replied the fox. Then the man went on. "Well, listen, I'm going to ask you the same question in front of a snake. If you say that one good deed is rewarded by another good deed, I'll give you a present of a piglet, a lamb or a goose. How's that?"
"Good," said the fox.
The peasant went back to the snake. "I saw a fox over there," he said. "As you know, foxes are wise. Let's go and hear what he thinks about it."
A little later they asked the fox the same question and the fox replied as had been agreed. "A good deed is always rewarded with another good deed, but," he went on, "why ask me that question?"
"Because this snake, that I helped to escape from his hole blocked by a boulder, wants to bite me," replied the peasant. The fox looked at the snake and said, "Hmm! I think a snake can manage to slither under a boulder."
"But it was a big boulder," the snake protested, "and, it was blocking the entrance to my den."
"I don't believe you!"
"Oh, don't you? Well come and see then," said the snake, setting off for his den with the fox and the peasant.
Pointing to the boulder, he said, "See? That boulder fell just there," and he pointed to the entrance.
But the fox shook his head. "A big snake like you couldn't get into such a little hole," he said.
Annoyed, the snake retorted, "Don't you think so?" and slid swiftly into the hole.
Then the fox shouted, "Quick, peasant man! Shut him in!" and the peasant rolled the boulder back across the mouth of the den, imprisoning the snake (and I think he's in there yet!).
"Ah, fox," said the peasant happily, "now that was a good deed! You got rid of that wicked snake for me! Thanks a million!"
"Oh, it was nothing," replied the fox, "but don't forget that piglet, the lamb and the goose you promised me."
"No, I won't. Come to the farm this evening and you shall have them," said the man.
That same evening, the fox went to the farm, but the peasant appeared with two snarling dogs and a gun, shouting, "Get out of here, you horrible beast, if you don't want to get into trouble!"
The fox trotted away, sad and disappointed, muttering, "and they say I'm cunning! The cunning one is that peasant. Oh, well, that poor snake was probably right, good deeds are repaid with bad deeds," and off he went, his tail between his legs, into the wood.
http://web.archive.org/web/19981206150329/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox and the Briar Bush
There are people who run for help to the very ones who would destroy them
The Fox in the Briar Bush crawled
Out of it bleeding. Appalled
By his scratches, he cried:
"I did not decide
To fall off a wall to be mauled."
"I think you are foolish to scold,"
Said the Briar, "and foolishly bold
To fall into me
When you could not see
It's my nature to grab and to hold?"
http://web.archive.org/web/19981202163532/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox and the Ass's Brains
Wit is always at the ready
Yes, this Fox was resourceful, witty, and a great persuader.
First of all he persuaded the King himself, the Lion, to go on a hunt with him, knowing full well that even without the "Lion's share" his bag at the chase would be weighty.
Then he persuaded the Lion to invite the local Ass to his house, aware that the beast would be flattered enough to come.
Which is just what happened.
The moment the Ass was inducted, the Lion - at a wink from the Fox - sprang and brought him down.
"Dinner for today," the Lion declared. "But paws and teeth off, I say... until this evening. Now for my siesta."
So the Lion lay down and the Fox watched him till he heard him snoring.
He circled the savoury Ass, then with a deft incision cleanly extracted its brains and silently ate the morsel.
When the Lion woke up and went to the Ass for his dinner, he found his favourite hors d'oevure - the delicate brains - was missing.
He turned on the Fox with a roar, in a terrible voice demanding:
"What have you done with the brains? I told you to leave him alone."
"Brains, Your Majesty? Brains? This ridiculous Ass had none. He swallowed your invitation, didn't he, to dine? How else could he have been so completely assinine?"
http://web.archive.org/web/19990225074423/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox, the Cock and the Dog
Cunning is often caught in its own coils
A hungry Fox unable to believe his eyes, saw one night etched against the stars a magnificent Cock - almost within his reach.
"Wake up, fine bird!" he called, "the world is rich: I have such news for you it cannot wait."
The Cock, high up, blinked and answered, "What?"
"Ah," said the Fox, his mouth already wet, "King Lion has made a universal truce: No beast may hurt a bird at any price. From this time on we all shall live at peace."
The Fox and the Ass in the Lion's Skin (2)
Frauds overreach themselves
An Ass in the Skin of a Lion
(Which he'd filched from a tree
Where some hunters had left it to dry on)
Ee-awed and brayed:
"Let all be afraid
Of me: don't you see,
With my jaws and my claws and my terrible roars
I'm a lion - I'm a lion - I'm a lion?"
Which was all very well
Till down in the dell
A Fox who'd been keeping his eye on
The total charade
Jeered: "Shucks! Who's afraid?
Naturally no one. For why on
Earth should your paws and your claws
And you terrible roars
(When not in fact yours)
Be anything you can rely on?
Your assinine bray
Just gives you away.
This may be all right for a try on,
A try on - a try on -
But you're not my idea of a lion."
http://web.archive.org/web/19981202123356/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Lioness and the Vixen
It is quality not quantity that matters
A Lioness mocked by a Vixen
For whelping a litter of one,
When the Vixen had nine,
Said; "Ah, but then mine,
Although only one, is a lion."
http://web.archive.org/web/19981202141639/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox and the Goat
Look before you leap
The Fox waited:
He had fallen into a well and had been trying to get out half the day.
Its sides were too steep, too deep, though he had jumped till his strength was wasted.
He gazed up hopelessly at the sheer wall.
It happened that a Goat passed that way and putting his head over the top asked curiously what the Fox was doing there.
"Enjoying myself. They say there's going to be a mighty drought, so I'm down here drinking my fill. Why don't you come down yourself and share?"
So Goat let himself down into the well; Applied himself to the water as Fox with a shout mounted his back and using his head as a sill sprang into freedom, then from the edge of the well called down to the flabbergasted Goat:
It's all yours, friend, have a good swill. But in future I advise you to take note: When people enthusiastically press you to share, Beware!."
http://web.archive.org/web/19990225114428/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox and The Stork
Once upon a time . . . a fox made friends with a stork and decided to invite her to lunch.
While he was wondering what to serve for the meal, he thought he'd play a trick on the bird. So he prepared a tasty soup and poured it into two flat plates.
"Help yourself, Mrs Stork! I'm sure you'll enjoy this! It's frog soup and chopped parsley. Taste it, you'll find it's delicious!"
"Thank you very much!" said the stork, sniffing the soup. But she quickly saw the trick the fox had played on her. For no matter how she tried, she could not drink the soup from the flat plate.
The sniggering fox urged her on: "Eat up! Do you like it?"
But all the stork could do was bluff. With a casual air she said: "I'm afraid I've such a headache that I've lost my appetite!"
And the fox fussily replied: "What a shame! And it's such good soup too! Too bad! Maybe next time . . ."
To which the stork quickly replied: "Yes, of course! Next time, you must have lunch with me!"
The very next day, the fox found a polite note pinned to his door: it was the stork's invitation to lunch. "Now, isn't that nice of her!" said the fox to himself. "And she hasn't taken my little trick to heart either! A real lady!"
The stork's house was much plainer than the fox's, and she apologized to the fox. "My home is much humbler than yours," she said, "but I've cooked a really special meal. Freshwater shrimps with white wine and juniper berries!"
The fox licked his lips at the idea of these goodies and sniffed deeply when the stork handed him his jar. But, try as he might, he was unable to eat a bite, for he could not reach down with his nose into the long neck of the jar.
In the meantime, with her long beak, the stork gobbled her lunch. "Try it! Try it!" she said. "Do you like it?"
But the unlucky fox, confused and outsmarted, could not think of an excuse for not eating.
And as he tossed and turned hungrily in bed that night, thinking of his lost lunch, he said to himself with a sigh: "I might have known!"
http://web.archive.org/web/19990225142534/...~thai/foxes/s...
"Remarkable!" the Cock replied. "You mean that I'll be safe from you, and you from mean?"
"Exactly that. Come, take my paw, come down. Let al the past be healed in one embrace."
"Wait," said the Cock craning his neck, "I see someone who'll want to join our jubilee. Yes look, he leaps towards us eagerly."
"Hm!" said Fox. "Can you tell me who?"
"Only the farmer's Dog. I think you know him... Yes? ...Ah, must you really go? I thought the three of us were all about to kiss."
And he added just as Fox displayed his back:
"Surely you and he would love to speak of brotherly love and universal peace?"
"Be glad to, yes - but have no guarantee," (shouted the Fox already far away) "That Master Dog has heard King Lion's decree."
http://web.archive.org/web/19991012194748/...~thai/foxes/s...
Aesop, as most people know, became famous for all the fables he wrote. A fable being a short story or poem which often used animals to convey a point or moral to the reader. He used Fox a lot in his stories, but not always as the stereotypical mean, bad villain as is much the case now. Often Fox used his or her wit to their advantage, but most noted is that although Fox sometimes teamed up with others, he or she never lost their independance, as was often shown.
* The Bear and the Fox.
* The Crane and the Fox.
* The Fox and the Crow (sometimes also known as 'The Fox and the Raven')
* The Fox and the Grapes.
* The Fox who lost his Tail.
* The Lion, the Bear and the Fox.
* The Lion, the Fox and the Ass.
* The Lion, the Mouse, and the Fox.
* The Peasant, the Snake, and the Fox.
* The Fox the Briar Bush.
* The Fox and the Ass's Brains
* The Fox, the Cock and the Dog
* The Fox and the Ass in the Lion's Skin (2)
* The Lioness and the Vixen
* The Fox and the Goat
* The Fox and the Stork
Of course, Aseop was not the only person to write stories featuring foxes as a main character. One such writer today is Tanais Fox, who has a small collection at his web site.
If you still want more books on foxes, check out TopFox's (aka John Cawley) catelogue of books, probably the largest collection around!
Fox also appears occasionally in Native American history, it being a totem animal though little known in comparison with animals such as Wolf and Coyote. The story of Coyote and the Rock features a Fox, this time as a travelling companion of Coyote, and also lends an explanation to the common white tail-tip of Fox.
There are also some good stories on the Tales of Wonder web pages. Here are links to a couple of ones that feature Fox:
* Ankakumikaityn the Nomad Wolf
* The Shepherd, the Tiger, and the Fox
On to a few more true stories now, Janet Wright keeps an eye out for a group of foxes on the Prince Edward Island in Canada, and posts her accounts regularly to the newsgroup alt.animals.foxes.
Finally, there is also a small fable which seems to say that Rabbits are superior to foxes and wolves?
http://web.archive.org/web/19990224161120/...%7Ethai/foxes...
Articles & modern stories
Myths & anciet stories
The kitsune book
Resources
The Bear and the Fox
A BEAR boasted very much of his philanthropy, saying that of all animals he was the most tender in his regard for man, for he had such respect for him that he would not even touch his dead body.
A Fox hearing these words said with a smile to the Bear, "Oh! that you would eat the dead and not the living."
http://web.archive.org/web/19990224205740/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox and the Crane
A FOX invited a Crane to supper and provided nothing for his entertainment but some soup made of pulse, which was poured out into a broad flat stone dish. The soup fell out of the long bill of the Crane at every mouthful, and his vexation at not being able to eat afforded the Fox much amusement.
The Crane, in his turn, asked the Fox to sup with him, and set before her a flagon with a long narrow mouth, so that he could easily insert his neck and enjoy its contents at his leisure. The Fox, unable even to taste it, met with a fitting requital, after the fashion of her own hospitality.
http://web.archive.org/web/19981202085630/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox and the Crow
Once upon a time . . . a big crow stole a lump of cheese and went to perch on a branch of a tree to eat it in peace.
A passing fox sniffed the air and stopped below the tree, his mouth watering. "Cheese?" he said. "Mmm. I'd love . . . if only I could . . ." he said to himself, greedily, wondering how to get hold of the morsel.
After a moment or two, he spoke to the crow: "You are a fine crow! I've never seen anyone so big and strong. What lovely thick shiny feathers you have! And such slender legs, the sign of a noble bird. And a regal beak. That's it: the beak of a king! You ought to be crowned King of the Birds!"
When the crow heard such glowing praise of his beauty, he stretched to his full length and triumphantly flapped his wings.
In his softest voice, the fox went on: "What lovely eyes you have. You don't seem to have a single fault! You're quite perfect."
The crow had never been flattered so much in all his life.
"Though I haven't heard your voice yet," went on the fox, "I expect that such a perfect creature like yourself can have nothing less than a wonderful singing voice!"
The crow had, till then, been blissfully drinking in the fox's praise, but he felt a prick of doubt at the sweet words about his voice. He had never heard that crows were fine singers! Of course, being a very fine crow, perhaps that meant he had a beautiful voice as well. The fox could be right!
And the crow gazed down at the fox as he said: "Now then, King of the Birds, let me hear a sweet song . . ."
Throwing caution to the winds, the crow opened his beak and, taking a deep breath, loudly cawed: "Cra, Cra, Cra!"
The lump of cheese fell through the air and the fox caught it neatly in his jaws. "I deserved that!" he told himself as he enjoyed the titbit. Then, licking his lips, he again spoke to the crow on the branch. "Silly crow. You're the ugliest bird I've ever seen, you have the worst voice I ve ever heard, but most of all, you're the most stupid bird I've ever met! And thanks for the cheese." And off he trotted well satisfied with himself...
http://web.archive.org/web/19990225093712/...~thai/foxes/s...
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."
http://web.archive.org/web/19981206221756/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox
A LION and a Bear seized a Kid at the same moment, and fought fiercely for its possession.
When they had fearfully lacerated each other and were faint from the long combat, they lay down exhausted with fatigue.
A Fox, who had gone round them at a distance several times, saw them both stretched on the ground with the Kid lying untouched in the middle. He ran in between them, and seizing the Kid scampered off as fast as he could.
The Lion and the Bear saw him, but not being able to get up, said, "Woe be to us, that we should have fought and belabored ourselves only to serve the turn of a Fox."
It sometimes happens that one man has all the toil, and another all the profit.
http://web.archive.org/web/19990127132119/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Lion, the Fox, and the Ass
THE LION, the Fox and the Ass entered into an agreement to assist each other in the chase.
Having secured a large booty, the Lion on their return from the forest asked the Ass to allot his due portion to each of the three partners in the treaty.
The Ass carefully divided the spoil into three equal shares and modestly requested the two others to make the first choice.
The Lion, bursting out into a great rage, devoured the Ass. Then he requested the Fox to do him the favor to make a division.
The Fox accumulated all that they had killed into one large heap and left to himself the smallest possible morsel.
The Lion said, "Who has taught you, my very excellent fellow, the art of division? You are perfect to a fraction."
He replied, "I learned it from the Ass, by witnessing his fate."
Happy is he who learns from the misfortunes of others.
http://web.archive.org/web/19990127143045/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Lion, the Mouse, and the Fox
A LION, fatigued by the heat of a summer's day, fell fast asleep in his den.
A Mouse ran over his mane and ears and woke him from his slumbers.
He rose up and shook himself in great wrath, and searched every corner of his den to find the Mouse.
A Fox seeing him said: "A fine Lion you are, to be frightened of a Mouse."
"'Tis not the Mouse I fear," said the Lion; "I resent his familiarity and ill-breeding."
Little liberties are great offenses.
http://web.archive.org/web/19990127162833/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Peasant, the Snake, and the Fox
Once upon a time, a peasant on his way home heard a feeble voice calling "Help! Help!"
He looked round, took a careful step or two then realised that the sound was coming from beneath a large boulder. He asked in amazement: "Who's that calling?"
And a voice replied, "It's me. The rock rolled down over my hole and I'm shut in. I can't get out, I'm going to die. Please help me. Move the boulder."
The peasant then asked: "But who are you?"
"I'm a poor snake," came the reply.
"A snake? But if I let you out you will bite me."
"No, no, I promise I won't. Get me out, please!"
The peasant allowed himself to be persuaded and he shifted the boulder . . . and out of a hole in the ground slid a snake which darted towards the peasant and tried to bite him.
The man jumped back and cried, "Why did you do that?"
The snake replied, "Because every good deed is rewarded by an evil one, didn't you know that?"
"No, I didn't. I don't think that's so," said the peasant.
"Very well," said the snake. "Let's go and ask someone. If we come across someone who thinks as you do, well, that's it, but if people say I'm right, then I shall bite you. Agreed?"
"Agreed," said the peasant, and off they went. A little later, they met an old mangy lame horse, thin and covered in scratches, with an uncombed mane and dirty tail.
The peasant spoke to him. "Listen, friend. If someone does a good deed, what does he get as his reward?"
Without a moment's hesitation, the horse replied. "A bad deed. Look at me! I served my master faithfully for years and now that I'm old, he has left me to die of starvation!"
At these words, the snake turned to the peasant and hissed, "Did you hear that? I shall bite you now!"
But the man exclaimed: "Wait! One question isn't enough! We have to ask someone else."
"Bother!" exclaimed the snake. "Very well, let's look for someone else, but wait and see, I'm right and I'll get my bite!"
So, leaving the horse behind, the pair went on their way.
They met a sheep which, at the peasant's question, said: "A good deed is always repaid with a bad deed. Look at me, I always follow my master and never complain. I obey him all the time and what does he do? He shears my fleece in winter, so I feel the cold, and makes me keep it in summer, so I melt with the heat!"
"Get ready," said the snake, "I'm about to bite!"
But the peasant said, "Please! We've had the first round, and the second one as well, now let's play the deciding round. If I'm wrong at the third question, then I'll let you bite me."
On they went, and in the wood, the peasant caught sight of a fox. Suddenly he had an idea. With an excuse, he left the snake on the road and ran into the wood to speak to the fox.
"Listen, fox, do you too think that a good deed is always rewarded by a bad one?"
"Of course!" replied the fox. Then the man went on. "Well, listen, I'm going to ask you the same question in front of a snake. If you say that one good deed is rewarded by another good deed, I'll give you a present of a piglet, a lamb or a goose. How's that?"
"Good," said the fox.
The peasant went back to the snake. "I saw a fox over there," he said. "As you know, foxes are wise. Let's go and hear what he thinks about it."
A little later they asked the fox the same question and the fox replied as had been agreed. "A good deed is always rewarded with another good deed, but," he went on, "why ask me that question?"
"Because this snake, that I helped to escape from his hole blocked by a boulder, wants to bite me," replied the peasant. The fox looked at the snake and said, "Hmm! I think a snake can manage to slither under a boulder."
"But it was a big boulder," the snake protested, "and, it was blocking the entrance to my den."
"I don't believe you!"
"Oh, don't you? Well come and see then," said the snake, setting off for his den with the fox and the peasant.
Pointing to the boulder, he said, "See? That boulder fell just there," and he pointed to the entrance.
But the fox shook his head. "A big snake like you couldn't get into such a little hole," he said.
Annoyed, the snake retorted, "Don't you think so?" and slid swiftly into the hole.
Then the fox shouted, "Quick, peasant man! Shut him in!" and the peasant rolled the boulder back across the mouth of the den, imprisoning the snake (and I think he's in there yet!).
"Ah, fox," said the peasant happily, "now that was a good deed! You got rid of that wicked snake for me! Thanks a million!"
"Oh, it was nothing," replied the fox, "but don't forget that piglet, the lamb and the goose you promised me."
"No, I won't. Come to the farm this evening and you shall have them," said the man.
That same evening, the fox went to the farm, but the peasant appeared with two snarling dogs and a gun, shouting, "Get out of here, you horrible beast, if you don't want to get into trouble!"
The fox trotted away, sad and disappointed, muttering, "and they say I'm cunning! The cunning one is that peasant. Oh, well, that poor snake was probably right, good deeds are repaid with bad deeds," and off he went, his tail between his legs, into the wood.
http://web.archive.org/web/19981206150329/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox and the Briar Bush
There are people who run for help to the very ones who would destroy them
The Fox in the Briar Bush crawled
Out of it bleeding. Appalled
By his scratches, he cried:
"I did not decide
To fall off a wall to be mauled."
"I think you are foolish to scold,"
Said the Briar, "and foolishly bold
To fall into me
When you could not see
It's my nature to grab and to hold?"
http://web.archive.org/web/19981202163532/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox and the Ass's Brains
Wit is always at the ready
Yes, this Fox was resourceful, witty, and a great persuader.
First of all he persuaded the King himself, the Lion, to go on a hunt with him, knowing full well that even without the "Lion's share" his bag at the chase would be weighty.
Then he persuaded the Lion to invite the local Ass to his house, aware that the beast would be flattered enough to come.
Which is just what happened.
The moment the Ass was inducted, the Lion - at a wink from the Fox - sprang and brought him down.
"Dinner for today," the Lion declared. "But paws and teeth off, I say... until this evening. Now for my siesta."
So the Lion lay down and the Fox watched him till he heard him snoring.
He circled the savoury Ass, then with a deft incision cleanly extracted its brains and silently ate the morsel.
When the Lion woke up and went to the Ass for his dinner, he found his favourite hors d'oevure - the delicate brains - was missing.
He turned on the Fox with a roar, in a terrible voice demanding:
"What have you done with the brains? I told you to leave him alone."
"Brains, Your Majesty? Brains? This ridiculous Ass had none. He swallowed your invitation, didn't he, to dine? How else could he have been so completely assinine?"
http://web.archive.org/web/19990225074423/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox, the Cock and the Dog
Cunning is often caught in its own coils
A hungry Fox unable to believe his eyes, saw one night etched against the stars a magnificent Cock - almost within his reach.
"Wake up, fine bird!" he called, "the world is rich: I have such news for you it cannot wait."
The Cock, high up, blinked and answered, "What?"
"Ah," said the Fox, his mouth already wet, "King Lion has made a universal truce: No beast may hurt a bird at any price. From this time on we all shall live at peace."
The Fox and the Ass in the Lion's Skin (2)
Frauds overreach themselves
An Ass in the Skin of a Lion
(Which he'd filched from a tree
Where some hunters had left it to dry on)
Ee-awed and brayed:
"Let all be afraid
Of me: don't you see,
With my jaws and my claws and my terrible roars
I'm a lion - I'm a lion - I'm a lion?"
Which was all very well
Till down in the dell
A Fox who'd been keeping his eye on
The total charade
Jeered: "Shucks! Who's afraid?
Naturally no one. For why on
Earth should your paws and your claws
And you terrible roars
(When not in fact yours)
Be anything you can rely on?
Your assinine bray
Just gives you away.
This may be all right for a try on,
A try on - a try on -
But you're not my idea of a lion."
http://web.archive.org/web/19981202123356/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Lioness and the Vixen
It is quality not quantity that matters
A Lioness mocked by a Vixen
For whelping a litter of one,
When the Vixen had nine,
Said; "Ah, but then mine,
Although only one, is a lion."
http://web.archive.org/web/19981202141639/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox and the Goat
Look before you leap
The Fox waited:
He had fallen into a well and had been trying to get out half the day.
Its sides were too steep, too deep, though he had jumped till his strength was wasted.
He gazed up hopelessly at the sheer wall.
It happened that a Goat passed that way and putting his head over the top asked curiously what the Fox was doing there.
"Enjoying myself. They say there's going to be a mighty drought, so I'm down here drinking my fill. Why don't you come down yourself and share?"
So Goat let himself down into the well; Applied himself to the water as Fox with a shout mounted his back and using his head as a sill sprang into freedom, then from the edge of the well called down to the flabbergasted Goat:
It's all yours, friend, have a good swill. But in future I advise you to take note: When people enthusiastically press you to share, Beware!."
http://web.archive.org/web/19990225114428/...~thai/foxes/s...
The Fox and The Stork
Once upon a time . . . a fox made friends with a stork and decided to invite her to lunch.
While he was wondering what to serve for the meal, he thought he'd play a trick on the bird. So he prepared a tasty soup and poured it into two flat plates.
"Help yourself, Mrs Stork! I'm sure you'll enjoy this! It's frog soup and chopped parsley. Taste it, you'll find it's delicious!"
"Thank you very much!" said the stork, sniffing the soup. But she quickly saw the trick the fox had played on her. For no matter how she tried, she could not drink the soup from the flat plate.
The sniggering fox urged her on: "Eat up! Do you like it?"
But all the stork could do was bluff. With a casual air she said: "I'm afraid I've such a headache that I've lost my appetite!"
And the fox fussily replied: "What a shame! And it's such good soup too! Too bad! Maybe next time . . ."
To which the stork quickly replied: "Yes, of course! Next time, you must have lunch with me!"
The very next day, the fox found a polite note pinned to his door: it was the stork's invitation to lunch. "Now, isn't that nice of her!" said the fox to himself. "And she hasn't taken my little trick to heart either! A real lady!"
The stork's house was much plainer than the fox's, and she apologized to the fox. "My home is much humbler than yours," she said, "but I've cooked a really special meal. Freshwater shrimps with white wine and juniper berries!"
The fox licked his lips at the idea of these goodies and sniffed deeply when the stork handed him his jar. But, try as he might, he was unable to eat a bite, for he could not reach down with his nose into the long neck of the jar.
In the meantime, with her long beak, the stork gobbled her lunch. "Try it! Try it!" she said. "Do you like it?"
But the unlucky fox, confused and outsmarted, could not think of an excuse for not eating.
And as he tossed and turned hungrily in bed that night, thinking of his lost lunch, he said to himself with a sigh: "I might have known!"
http://web.archive.org/web/19990225142534/...~thai/foxes/s...
"Remarkable!" the Cock replied. "You mean that I'll be safe from you, and you from mean?"
"Exactly that. Come, take my paw, come down. Let al the past be healed in one embrace."
"Wait," said the Cock craning his neck, "I see someone who'll want to join our jubilee. Yes look, he leaps towards us eagerly."
"Hm!" said Fox. "Can you tell me who?"
"Only the farmer's Dog. I think you know him... Yes? ...Ah, must you really go? I thought the three of us were all about to kiss."
And he added just as Fox displayed his back:
"Surely you and he would love to speak of brotherly love and universal peace?"
"Be glad to, yes - but have no guarantee," (shouted the Fox already far away) "That Master Dog has heard King Lion's decree."
http://web.archive.org/web/19991012194748/...~thai/foxes/s...