Fox and Wolf approached a Horse to introduce themselves and assess the prey. Horse said his name was on his hoof. Fox demurred, Wolf got kicked. Smart Fox.
Friends may turn on you.
JBR Collection
A Fox seeing a Horse fer the first time, grazing in a field, at once ran to a Wolf of his acquaintance, and described the animal that he had found. “It is, perhaps,” said the Fox, “some delicious prey that fortune has put in our path. Come with me, and judge for yourself.” Off they ran, and soon came to the Horse, who, scarcely lifting his head, seemed little anxious to be on speaking terms with such suspicious-looking characters. “Sir,” said the Fox, “your humble servants here would with pleasure learn the name by which you are known to your illustrious friends.” The Horse, who was not without a ready wit, said his name was there curiously written upon his hoofs for the information of those who cared to read it. “Gladly would I,” replied the sly Fox, suspecting in an instant something wrong, “but my parents were poor, and could not pay for my education; hence, I never learned to read. The friends of my companion here, on the contrary, are great folk, and he can both read and write, and has a thousand other accomplishments.” The Wolf, pleased with the flattery, at once went up, with a knowing air, to examine one of the hoofs which the Horse raised for his convenience; and when he had come near enough, the Horse gave a sudden and vigorous kick, and back to earth fell the Wolf, his jaw broken and bleed ing. “Well, cousin ,” cried the Fox, with a grin, “you need never ask for the name a second time, now that you have it written so plainly just below your eyes.”
de La Fontaine (Le Renard, le Loup, et le Cheval)
Un renard, jeune encor, quoique des plus madrés,
Vit le premier cheval qu’il eût vu de sa vie.
Il dit à certain loup, franc novice: Accourez
Un animal paît dans nos prés,
Beau, grand; j’en ai la vue encor toute ravie.
Est-il plus fort que nous? dit le loup en riant:
Fais-moi son portrait , je te prie.
Si j’étois quelque peintre ou quelque étudiant,
Repartit le renard, j’avancerois la joie
Que vous aurez en le voyant.
Mais venez. Que sait-on? peut-être est-ce une proie
Que la fortune nous envoie.
Ils vont; et le cheval, qu’à l’herbe on avoit mis,
Assez peu curieux de semblables amis,
Fut presque sur le point d’enfiler la venelle.
Seigneur, dit le renard, vos humbles serviteurs
Apprendroient volontiers comment on vous appelle.
Le cheval, qui n’étoit dépourvu de cervelle,
Leur dit: Lisez mon nom, vous le pouvez, messieurs,
Mon cordonnier l’a mis autour de ma semelle.
Le renard s’excusa sur son peu de savoir:
Mes parents, reprit-il, ne m’ont point fait instruire;
Ils sont pauvres, et n’ont qu’un trou pour tout avoir:
Ceux du loup, gros messieurs, l’ont fait apprendre à lire.
Le loup, par ce discours flatté,
S’approcha. Mais sa vanité
Lui coûta quatre dents: le cheval lui desserre
Un coup; et haut le pied. Voilà mon loup par terre ,
Mal en point, sanglant, et gâté.
Frère, dit le renard, ceci nous justifie
Ce que m’ont dit des gens d’esprit:
Cet animal vous a sur la mâchoire écrit
Que de tout inconnu le sage se méfie.
