The Cat and the Fox

"The Cat and the Fox" by Aesop is a short fable in which a cat and a fox debate who has the greater amount and variety of clever tricks and strategies. The fox boasts of having a vast number of stratagems, while the cat mentions she has only one. However, when danger befalls, it is the cat's single trick -quickly running up a tree - that saves her, teaching the moral that quality counts over quantity.

• Children

								
Once a Cat and a Fox were traveling together. As they went along,
picking up provisions on the way--a stray mouse here, a fat
chicken there--they began an argument to while away the time
between bites. And, as usually happens when comrades argue, the
talk began to get personal.

"You think you are extremely clever, don't you?" said the Fox.
"Do you pretend to know more than I? Why, I know a whole sackful
of tricks!"

"Well," retorted the Cat, "I admit I know one trick only, but
that one, let me tell you, is worth a thousand of yours!"

Just then, close by, they heard a hunter's horn and the yelping
of a pack of hounds. In an instant the Cat was up a tree, hiding
among the leaves.

"This is my trick," he called to the Fox. "Now let me see what
yours are worth."

But the Fox had so many plans for escape he could not decide
which one to try first. He dodged here and there with the hounds
at his heels. He doubled on his tracks, he ran at top speed, he
entered a dozen burrows,--but all in vain. The hounds caught him,
and soon put an end to the boaster and all his tricks.

Common sense is always worth more than cunning.
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