a fox was once caught in a trap by his tail, and in order to get away was forced to leave it behind him. knowing that without a tail he would be a laughing-stock for all his fellows, he resolved to try to induce them to part with theirs. at the next assembly of foxes, therefore, he made a speech on the unprofitableness of tails in general, and the inconvenience of a fox's tail in particular, adding that he had never felt so easy as since he had given up his own.

when he had sat down, a sly old fellow rose, and waving his long brush with a graceful air, said, with a sneer, that if, like the last speaker, he had been so unfortunate as to lose his tail, nothing further would have been needed to convince him; but till such an accident should happen, he should certainly vote in favour of tails.