Sari’s Place

It happened that the cat met the fox in a forest, and as she thought to herself, He is clever and full of experience, I should say Hi to him.  So she spoke to him in a friendly way.

“Good day, dear Mr.Fox, how are you? How is all with you? How are you getting through this season?”

The fox, full of all kinds of arrogance, looked at the cat from head to foot, and for a long time did not know whether he would give any answer or not. At last he said, “Oh, you silly mousehunter, what can you be thinking of? Do you venture to ask how I am getting on? What have you learned? How many arts do you understand?”

“I understand but one,” replied the cat, modestly.

“What art is that?” asked the fox.

“When the hounds are following me, I can spring into a tree and save myself.”

“Is that all?” said the fox. “I am master of hundred arts, I feel sorry for you, but come with me, I will teach you how people get away from the hounds.”

Just then came a hunter with four dogs. The cat sprang up a tree, and sat down at the top of it, where the branches and foliage quite concealed her.

 ”Run and hide, Mr. Fox, Run…,” cried the cat to him, but the dogs had already seized him, and were holding him fast.

“Ah, Mr. Fox,” cried the cat. “You with your hundred arts are left in the lurch!  Had you been able to climb like me, you would not have lost your life.”