A Fox once dwelt in a cave of a certain mountain and, as often as a cub was born to him and grew stout, he would eat the young one, for he had died of hunger, had he instead of so doing left the cub alive and bred it by his side and preserved and cherished his issue. Yet was this very grievous to him. Now on the crest of the same mountain a crow had made his nest, and the fox said to himself, "I have a mind to set up a friendship with this crow and make a comrade of him, that he may help me to my daily bread; for he can do in such matters what I cannot." So he drew near the crow's home and, when he came within sound of speech, he saluted him and said, "O my neighbour, truly a true believer has two claims upon his true believing neighbour, the right of neighbourliness and the right of al-Islam, our common faith; and know, O my friend, that you are my neighbour and you have a claim upon me which it behoves me to observe, the more that I have long been your neighbour. Also, there be implanted in my breast a store of love to you, which bids me speak you fair and obligs me to solicit your brothership. What say you in reply!"

The crow answered, "truly, the truest speech is the best speech; and Perhaps you speak with your tongue that which is not in your heart; so I fear lest your brotherhood be only of the tongue, outward, and your enmity be in the heart, inward; for that you are the Eater and I the Eaten, and faring apart were apter to us than friendship and fellowship. What, then, makes you seek that which you may not gain and desire what may not be done, seeing that I be of the bird kind and you be of the beast kind? truly, this your proffered brotherhood may not be made, neither were it seemly to make it." Rejoined the fox, "Of a truth whoever knows the abiding place of excellent things, makes better choice in what he chooses from it, so perchance he may advantage his brethren; and indeed I should love to wone near you and I have sued for yours intimacy, to the end that we may help each other to our several objects; and success shall surely wait upon our amity. I have a many tales of the goodliness of true friendship, which I will relate to you if you wish the relating." The crow answered, "You have my leave to let me hear your communication; so tell your tale, and relate it to me that I may hearken to it and weigh it and judge of yours intent by that." Rejoined the fox, "Hear then, O my friend, that which is told of a flea and a mouse and which bears out what I have said to you." The crow asked, "How so?" and the fox answered:—They tell this tale of