A Fox was once caught in a trap by his tail, and in order to get away
was forced to leave it behind him. Knowing that without a tail he
would be a laughing-stock for all his fellows, he resolved to try to
induce them to part with theirs. At the next assembly of Foxes,
therefore, he made a speech on the unprofitableness of tails in
general, and the inconvenience of a Fox's tail in particular, adding
that he had never felt so easy as since he had given up his own.

When he had sat down, a sly old fellow rose, and waving his long brush
with a graceful air, said, with a sneer, that if, like the last
speaker, he had been so unfortunate as to lose his tail, nothing
further would have been needed to convince him; but till such an
accident should happen, he should certainly vote in favour of tails.



The Crab and Its Mother

One fine day two Crabs came out from their home to take a stroll on the
sand. "Child," said the mother, "you are walking very ungracefully.
You should accustom yourself to walking straight forward without
twisting from side to side."

"Pray, mother," said the young one, "do but set the example yourself,
and I will follow you!"



The Jackdaw with Borrowed Plumes