The Lion, the Wolf, and the Fox

The Lion, the Wolf, and the Fox

A LION, growing old, lay sick in his cave. All the beasts came to visit

their king, except the Fox. The Wolf therefore, thinking that he had a

capital opportunity, accused the Fox to the Lion of not paying any

respect to him who had the rule over them all and of not coming to

visit him. At that very moment the Fox came in and heard these last

words of the Wolf. The Lion roaring out in a rage against him, the Fox

sought an opportunity to defend himself and said, “And who of all those

who have come to you have benefited you so much as I, who have traveled

from place to place in every direction, and have sought and learnt from

the physicians the means of healing you?” The Lion commanded him

immediately to tell him the cure, when he replied, “You must flay a

wolf alive and wrap his skin yet warm around you.” The Wolf was at once

taken and flayed; whereon the Fox, turning to him, said with a smile,

“You should have moved your master not to ill, but to good, will.”