Read the Tale of the Fox and the Lion

Once upon a time, there was and there was not. The servants of God were many. In olden times, amidst sifting of grain and straw, when camels were heralds and fleas were barbers, and genies played javelin, and I was swinging my grandmother's cradle with a ding-dong sound, and as this rhyme continued, a very long time ago, a fox lived in a forest.

One day, this fox was very hungry. He thought he would die of starvation. While wandering around, hungry, he saw the Lion, the Sultan of the forests.

The Lion said: "What's wrong, Fox? What's with this state you're in?"

The Fox told him that he was very hungry.

The Lion said: "Come, let's find some prey for you."

The Lion and the Fox set off, and while searching for prey, they saw a herd of wild horses.

The Lion said: "Brother Fox, stay here and watch me."

The Fox agreed. The Lion quickly circled the horse herd once. He came back and turned to the Fox: "Are my hairs standing on end?" he asked.

The Fox said: "Yes, they are."

The Lion darted like lightning around the horse herd once more and came back. "And are my eyes fiery red?" he asked.

The Fox said: "Yes, they are."

The Lion sprang forth like lightning and immediately caught a horse he had set his eyes on from amidst the herd. Afterward, the Fox and the Lion ate the horse and filled their stomachs. The Lion bid farewell to the Fox and went on his way.

One day, the Fox was wandering around and ran into a jackal. The jackal was very hungry. The Fox said to the jackal: "Come with me, I will feed you."

The jackal set off with the Fox. The Fox saw a herd of wild horses. He said to the jackal: "Watch me carefully."

The Fox scraped his feet on the ground, then circled the horse herd and came back to the jackal. He asked the jackal: "Are my hairs standing on end?"

The jackal said: "No, they are not."

The Fox said: "Come on, say they are!"

The jackal replied: "They are not, but fine, let's say they are."

This time, the Fox quickly circled the horses and came back. He turned to the jackal: "Are my eyes fiery red?" he asked.

The jackal again gave a negative answer.

The Fox insisted: "You must say they are!"

Then the Fox ran towards the horse herd. His goal was to catch a horse, just like the Lion. The horse saw that a fox was coming. It kicked the Fox hard, and the Fox landed five meters away on the ground.

Upon seeing this, the jackal came next to the Fox and said: "Aha, Brother Fox, *now* your hairs are standing on end, and your eyes are fiery red. Now it has truly happened!"

And the tale ends here. Three apples fell from the sky: one for the teller of the tale, one for the foolish fox, and one for the listener. It is hoped that the fox will now gain some wisdom.