It happened once that the Cat met Mr. Fox in the wood, and because shethought: 'He is clever and experienced in all the ways of the world,'she addressed him in a friendly manner.
'Good morning, dear Mr. Fox! how are you and how do you get along inthese hard times?'
The Fox, full of pride, looked at the Cat from head to foot for sometime hardly knowing whether he would deign to answer or not. At lasthe said--
'Oh, you poor whisker-wiper, you piebald fool, you starvelingmouse-hunter! what has come into your head? How dare you ask me how Iam getting on? What sort of education have you had? How many arts areyou master of?'
The Cat crept stealthily up to the topmost branch.]
'Only one,' said the Cat, meekly.
'And what might that one be?' asked the Fox.
'When the hounds run after me, I can jump into a tree and savemyself.'
'Is that all?' said the Fox. 'I am master of a hundred arts, and Ihave a sack full of cunning tricks in addition. But I pity you. Comewith me, and I will teach you how to escape the hounds.'
Just then, a huntsman came along with four hounds. The Cat sprangtrembling into a tree, and crept stealthily up to the topmost branch,where she was entirely hidden by twigs and leaves.
'Open your sack, Mr. Fox! open your sack!' cried the Cat; but thehounds had gripped him, and held him fast.
'O Mr. Fox!' cried the Cat, 'you with your hundred arts, and your sackfull of tricks, are caught, while I, with my one, am safe. Had youbeen able to climb up here, you would not have lost your life.'