Twistales

A fox was once caught in a trap, and the only way he could save himself was by leaving his tail behind him.

Knowing that without a tail he would be the laughingstock of all the other foxes, he almost wished that he had died rather than having saved himself. Determined to make the best of a bad situation, he called a meeting of the foxes and proposed that everyone should follow his example.

“You have no idea of the ease and comfort with which I now move about,” he asserted. “I would never have believed it if I hadn’t tried it myself. But when you really think about it, a tail is such an ugly inconvenient, unnecessary appendage, and the only wonder is that we, as foxes, could have put up with it so long.

Therefore, I propose, my worthy brethren, that you all profit from my wonderful experience and that, from this day on, all foxes should cut off their tails.

When he sat down, a sly old fellow stood up, and waving his long brush with a graceful air, he said, “If I had lost my tail as you did, my friend, your proposal would be very convincing. But until I have such an accident, my vote will always be in favour of keeping our tails.”

Old Learning: Be wary of advice prompted by selfishness.