The Fox and the Cat

It happened that the cat met Mr. Fox in a forest, and because she thought 'he is clever and well experienced, and counts for a lot in the world,' she spoke to him kindly. 'Good day, dear Mr. Fox, how are you? How are things? How are you getting along in this dear time?' The fox, full of pride, looked at the cat from head to toe and did not know for a long time whether he should give an answer. At last he said, 'O miserable beard cleaner, you colorful fool, you starveling and mouse hunter, what comes into your head? You dare to ask how I am doing? What have you learned? How many arts do you understand?' 'I understand only one,' the cat answered modestly. 'What is that art?' asked the Fox. 'If the hounds are after me, I can jump up a tree and save myself.' 'Is that all?' said the fox, 'I am master of a hundred arts and have a sackful of list to boot. You whine to me, come with me, I will teach you how to escape from the hounds.' A hunter with four dogs came along. The cat nimbly jumped up a tree and sat in the top, where branches and foliage completely hid it. 'Untie the sack, Mr. Fox, untie the sack,' the cat called to him, but the dogs had already grabbed him and held him tight. Mr. Fox,' cried the cat, 'you are stuck with your hundred arts. If you could have crawled up like I did, you wouldn't have lost your lives.'