A KNOWING FOX

 

A KNOWING FOX - A TRUE STORY

A TAME fox was kept in a stable-yard and struck up a friendship with the dogs, but could never get the cats to approach him. Being very sensitive to smell, they could not bear his odour, and would not even walk upon any spot upon which the fox had been standing. The crafty animal seeing that the cats would not come near him, used his knowledge to cheat them of their breakfast. As soon as the servant poured out the cats allowance of milk, the fox would run to the spot and walk round the saucer ,well knowing, that the rightful owners would not touch it. Day after day the cats lost their milk, until the trick was found out, and the milk placed in a spot where the fox could not reach it. After he had had been stopped from robbing the cats, he tried his cunning on the dairymaid, as she was bringing the pails from milking. As she was passing along, the fox went up to her, and brushed himself against one of the milkpans. The milk became so tainted with the smell of the fox, that the maid dared not take it to the house, and thoughtlessly poured it into a pan, and gave it to him. The crafty animal repeated this trick several times, but when he found that the spoiled milk was given to the pigs, instead of to himself, he gave up his attempts. 

References:

Chatterbox 1877