Believe me, we are far better without them. Cut off your
tails, my friends, and you will see how much more comfortable it is.
I for my part have never enjoyed myself so much nor found life so
pleasant as I have since I lost mine."
Upon this, a sly old fox, seeing through the trick, cried, "It seems
to me, my friend, that you would not be so anxious for us to cut off
our tails, if you had not already lost yours."
* * * * *
THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING
A wolf put on the skin of a sheep, and getting in among the flock by
means of this disguise, killed many of the sheep. The shepherd, who
wondered why so many of his flock had disappeared, at last discovered
the deceit. He fastened a rope cunningly round the pretended sheep's
neck, led him to a tree, and there hanged him.
Some other shepherds passing that way and seeing what they thought was
a sheep hanging from a tree, said, "What, brother! Surely you do not
hang sheep?"
"No," answered the shepherd, "but I hang wolves when I catch them
dressed up in sheep's skins!"
Then he showed them their mistake, and they praised the justice of the
deed he had done.
* * * * *
THE CROW AND THE PITCHER
A crow, whose throat was parched and dry with thirst, saw a pitcher in
the distance.
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