Aesop's Phrases

The Fox and the Goat. 32 by Townsed.

A FOX one day fell into a deep well and could find no means of escape. A Goat, overcome with thirst, came to the same well, and seeing the Fox, inquired if the water was good. Concealing his sad plight under a merry guise, the Fox indulged in a lavish praise of the water, saying it was excellent beyond measure, and encouraging him to descend. The Goat, mindful only of his thirst, thoughtlessly jumped down, but just as he drank, the Fox informed him of the difficulty they were both in and suggested a scheme for their common escape. "If," said he, "you will place your forefeet upon the wall and bend your head, I will run up your back and escape, and will help you out afterwards." The Goat readily assented and the Fox leaped upon his back. Steadying himself with the Goat's horns, he safely reached the mouth of the well and made off as fast as he could. When the Goat upbraided him for breaking his promise, he turned around and cried out, "You foolish old fellow! If you had as many brains in your head as you have hairs in your beard, you would never have gone down before you had inspected the way up, nor have exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape."
Look before you leap.

Pe9=Ch40, Ph4.9, Cax6.3, L'Es83, Jacobs82, CS33, TMI K652, Type31, Type127B*

quotation from Aesop Without morals, Lloyd W. Daly

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THE RABBIT IN THE WELL AND THE FOX

A rabbit was thirsty and got down in a well to take a drink of water. He enjoyed a good drink, but when he was ready to get out, he found himself unable to get back up and was in great desperation. When a fox came along and found him there, he said, "You made a great mistake. You ought to have decided first how you were going to get out and then to have got down into the well."

------------------------------------------------------- not the public domain.

Syntipas10=Pe408

THE FOX IN THE WELL By Ramaswami Raju (from India)

A FOX fell into a well and was holding hard to some roots at the side of it, just above the water. A Wolf, who was passing by, saw him, and said, "Hello, Reynard, after all you have fallen into a well!"
"But not without a purpose, and not without the means of getting out of it," said the Fox.
"What do you mean?" said the Wolf.
"Why," said the Fox, "there is a drought all over the country now, and the water in this well is the only means of appeasing the thirst of the thousands that live in this neighborhood. They held a meeting, and requested me to keep the water from going down lower; so I am holding it up for the public good."
"What will be your reward?" said the 'Wolf.
"They will give me a pension, and save me the trouble of going about every day in quest of food, not to speak of innumerable other privileges that will be granted me. Further, I am not to stay here all day. I have asked a kinsman of mine, to whom I have communicated the secret of holding up the water, to relieve me from time to time. Of course he will also get a pension, and have other privileges. I expect him here shortly."
"Ah, Reynard, may I relieve you, then? May I hope to get a pension and other privileges? You know what a sad lot is mine, especially in winter."
"Certainly," said the Fox; "but you must get a long rope, that I may come up and let you in.
So the Wolf got a rope. Up came the Fox and down went the wo1f, when the former observed, with a laugh, "My dear sir, you may remain there till doomsday, or till the owner of the well throws up your carcass," and left the place.

Petri Alfonsi: Disciplina Clericalis 23, Cax8.9, Laf11.6, TMI K651, Type32, Type34
Odo of Cheriton19=Pe593, Goethe: Reineke Fuchs11, Renard the Fox: Branch4, TMI K651, Type32

THE HUNTER, THE FOX, AND THE TIGER. by Ernest Griset.

A CERTAIN Hunter saw in the middle of a field a Fox, whose skin was so beautiful that he was inspired with a great desire to take him alive. Having this in view, he found out his hole, and just before the entrance to it he dug a large and deep pit, which he covered with slender twigs and straw, and placed a piece of horseflesh in the middle of it. When he had done this he went and hid himself in a corner out of sight, and the Fox, returning to his hole and smelling the flesh, ran up to see what dainty morsel it was. When he came to the pit he would fain have tasted the meat, but fearing some trick he refrained from doing so, and retreated into his hole. Presently up came a hungry Tiger, who being tempted by the smell and appearance of the horseflesh, sprang in haste to seize it, and tumbled into the pit. The Hunter, hearing the noise made by the Tiger in falling, ran up and jumped into the pit without looking into it, never doubting that it was the Fox that had fallen in. But there, to his surprise, he found the Tiger, which quickly tore him in pieces and devoured him.