THE FOX AND THE BRAMBLE
IN making his way through a hedge a Fox missed his footing and caught at a Bramble to save himself from falling. Naturally, he got badly scratched, and in disgust he cried to the Bramble, “It was your help I wanted, and see how you have treated me! I’d sooner have fallen outright.” The Bramble, interrupting him, replied, “You must have lost your wits, my friend, to catch at me, who am myself always catching at others.”
THE FOX AND THE SNAKE
A SNAKE, in crossing a river, was carried away by the current, but managed to wriggle on to a bundle of thorns which was floating by, and was thus carried at a great rate down-stream. A Fox caught sight of it from the bank as it went whirling along, and called out, “Gad! the passenger fits the ship!”
THE LION, THE FOX, AND THE STAG
A LION lay sick in his den, unable to provide himself with food. So he said to his friend the Fox, who came to ask how he did, “My good friend, I wish you would go to yonder wood and beguile the big Stag,