The Fox without a Tail

068. THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL A Fox being caught in a trap, was glad to compound for his neck by leaving his tail behind him; but upon coming abroad into the world, he began to be so sensible of the disgrace such a defect would bring upon him, that he almost wished he had died rather than come away without it.
However, resolving to make the best of a bad matter, he called a meeting of the rest of the Foxes, and proposed that all should follow his example. “You have no notion,” said he, “of the ease and comfort with which I now move about: I could never have believed it if I had not tried it myself; but really, when one comes to reason upon it, a tail is such an ugly, inconvenient, unnecessary appendage, that the only wonder is that, as Foxes, we could have put up with it so long. I propose, therefore, my worthy brethren, that you all profit by the experience that I am most willing to afford you, and that all Foxes from this day forward cut off their tails.”
Upon this one of the oldest stepped forward, and said, "I rather think, my friend, that you would not have advised us to part with our tails, if there were any chance of recovering your own.” [more info]

The Fox with the Cropped Tail

007. THE FOX WITH THE CROPPED TAIL. You will find the fable in English on this page; scroll to see if there are multiple English versions. [more info]

The Fox who Had Lost His Tail

24. THE FOX WHO HAD LOST HIS TAIL. A Fox having his tail caught in a trap lost it. Feeling that his loss would bring him into ridicule, he assembled a number of Foxes and publicly advised them to have their tails cut off, saying that they would not only appear better, but that they would get rid of a great weight and inconvenience. One of them, interrupting him, said, “If you had not lost your tail, you would not thus counsel us.” MORAL. The advice of bad men is not dictated by kindness, but by their own interests [more info]

The Fox without a Tail

065. THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL. A fox being caught in a steel trap by his tail was to compound for his escape with the loss of it; but upon coming abroad into the world began to be so sensible of the disgrace such a defect would bring upon him that he almost wished he had died rather than left it behind him.
However, to make the best of a bad matter he formed a project in his head to call an assembly of the rest of the foxes and propose it for their imitation as a fashion which would be very agreeable and becoming. He did so and made a long harangue upon the unprofitableness of tails in general and endeavoured chiefly to show the awkwardness and inconvenience of a fox's tail in particular, adding that it would be both more graceful and more expeditious to be altogether without them, and that for his part what he had only imagined and conjectured before, he now found by experience, for that he never enjoyed himself so well and found himself so easy as he had done since he cut off his tail.
He said no more but looked about him with a brisk air to see what proselytes he had gained, when a sly old thief in the company who understood trap answered him with a leer: "I believe you may have found a conveniency in parting with your tail, and when we are in the same circumstances perhaps we may do so too." [more info]

The Fox that was Docked

10. THE FOX THAT WAS DOCKED. There was a cunning but over-reaching old Fox, who, having fortified himself within certain Banks for the plucking and eating of unsuspecting Geese, was, nevertheless, unearthed, and pursued by the County Hounds. Being caught by a trap in his flight, he was glad to compound for his neck by leaving his magnificent tail behind him. It was so uncouth a sight for a Fox to appear without this distinguishing ornament of his race, that the very thought of it made him weary of his life. But however, for the better countenance of the scandal, he called the Foxes together, when he made a learned discourse upon the trouble, the uselessness, and the indecency of Foxes wearing long, draggling, bushy tails. He had no sooner finished his harangue, than up rises a cunning old Fox, who desired to be informed whether the worthy Fox that had moved against the wearing of tails gave his advice for the advantage of those that possessed such natural appendages, or to palliate the deformity and disgrace of those that had none.
MORAL. A thief who has had his ears cropped in the pillory, should not be suffered to set the fashion in periwigs. [more info]

Perry 17: The Fox Without a Tail

I've created an animated gif with the illustrations I've found so far for the fable of The Fox Without a Tail. Use this link to find out more about these illustrations and the English versions of the fables that go with them:

The Fox without a Tail

23. THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL. A fox lost his tail in escaping from a steel trap. When he began to go about again, he found that every one looked down upon or laughed at him. Not liking this, he thought to himself that if he could persuade the other foxes to cut off their tails, his own loss would not be so noticeable.
Accordingly he called together the foxes and said: "How is it that you still wear your tails? Of what use are they? They are in the way, they often get caught in traps, they are heavy to carry and not pretty to look upon. Believe me, we are far better without them. Cut off your tails, my friends, and you will see how much more comfortable it is. I for my part have never enjoyed myself so much nor found life so pleasant as I have since I lost mine."
Upon this, a sly old fox, seeing through the trick, cried, "It seems to me, my friend, that you would not be so anxious for us to cut off our tails, if you had not already lost yours." [more info]

The Fox without a Tail

066. THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL. A fox being caught in a steel trap by his tail was to compound for his escape with the loss of it; but upon coming abroad into the world began to be so sensible of the disgrace such a defect would bring upon him that he almost wished he had died rather than left it behind him.
However, to make the best of a bad matter he formed a project in his head to call an assembly of the rest of the foxes and propose it for their imitation as a fashion which would be very agreeable and becoming. He did so and made a long harangue upon the unprofitableness of tails in general and endeavoured chiefly to show the awkwardness and inconvenience of a fox's tail in particular, adding that it would be both more graceful and more expeditious to be altogether without them, and that for his part what he had only imagined and conjectured before, he now found by experience, for that he never enjoyed himself so well and found himself so easy as he had done since he cut off his tail.
He said no more but looked about him with a brisk air to see what proselytes he had gained, when a sly old thief in the company who understood trap answered him with a leer: "I believe you may have found a conveniency in parting with your tail, and when we are in the same circumstances perhaps we may do so too." [more info]

A Fox that Had Lost His Tail

2.23. A FOX THAT HAD LOST HIS TAIL. A Fox taken in a trap was glad to compound for his neck, by leaving his tail behind him. It was so uncouth a sight for a Fox to appear without a tail, that the very thought of it made him weary of his life: but, however, for the better countenance of the scandal, he got the Master and Wardens of the Foxes' company to call a Court of Assistants, where he himself appeared, and made a learned discourse upon the trouble, the uselessness, and the indecency of Foxes wearing tails. He had no sooner said out his say, but up rises a cunning Snap, then at the board, who desired to be informed, whether the worthy member that moved against the wearing of tails, gave his advice for the advantage of those that had tails, or to palliate the deformity and disgrace of those that had none.
MORAL. It is the way of the world to give other people counsel for byends. But yet it is a hard matter to over-rule a multitude to their own pain and loss. [more info]

The Fox with his Tail Cut Off

05.05: THE FOX WITH HIS TAIL CUT OFF.
A cunning old fox, of plundering habits,
Great crauncher of fowls, great catcher of rabbits,
Whom none of his sort had caught in a nap,
Was finally caught in somebody's trap.
By luck he escaped, not wholly and hale,
For the price of his luck was the loss of his tail.
Escaped in this way, to save his disgrace,
He thought to get others in similar case.
One day that the foxes in council were met,
'Why wear we,' said he, 'this cumbering weight,
Which sweeps in the dirt wherever it goes?
Pray tell me its use, if any one knows.
If the council will take my advice,
We shall dock off our tails in a trice.'
'Your advice may be good,' said one on the ground;
'But, ere I reply, pray turn yourself round.'
Whereat such a shout from the council was heard,
Poor bob-tail, confounded, could say not a word.
To urge the reform would have wasted his breath.
Long tails were the mode till the day of his death.
[more info]

The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail

061. THE FOX WHO HAD LOST HIS TAIL. A FOX caught in a trap escaped, but in so doing lost his tail. Thereafter, feeling his life a burden from the shame and ridicule to which he was exposed, he schemed to convince all the other Foxes that being tailless was much more attractive, thus making up for his own deprivation. He assembled a good many Foxes and publicly advised them to cut off their tails, saying that they would not only look much better without them, but that they would get rid of the weight of the brush, which was a very great inconvenience. One of them interrupting him said, “If you had not yourself lost your tail, my friend, you would not thus counsel us.” [more info]

The Fox that Lost his Tail

36. THE FOX THAT LOST HIS TAIL.
A Fox, once in a trap caught fast,
Managed, by tugging hard, at last
To free himself, only to find
He'd left his precious tail behind.
Here was a pretty state of things!
Exposed to all the shafts and stings
Of ridicule and malice too,
What in the world was he to do?
One day he hit upon a plan.
Calling a meeting of the clan,
He made a speech and thus began,
"Dear fellow Foxes! I regret
To see that you are wearing yet
That relic of antiquity
The TAIL. In good society
It is no longer comme il faut
And Human Beings long ago
Discarded it. 'Tis an offense
Against both Style and Common Sense.
Take my advice, don't hesitate,
Cut off your tails before too late!"
Ere he could say another word,
'Mid cries of "foolish! mad! absurd!"
Rose an old Fox; "I beg to state,"
Said he, "we should attach more weight
To your advanced and lofty views
Had you yourself a tail to lose!" [more info]

The Fox without a Tail

65. THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL. It happened that a Fox caught its tail in a trap, and in struggling to release himself lost all of it but the stump. At first he was ashamed to show himself among his fellow foxes. But at last he determined to put a bolder face upon his misfortune, and summoned all the foxes to a general meeting to consider a proposal which he had to place before them. When they had assembled together the Fox proposed that they should all do away with their tails. He pointed out how inconvenient a tail was when they were pursued by their enemies, the dogs; how much it was in the way when they desired to sit down and hold a friendly conversation with one another. He failed to see any advantage in carrying about such a useless encumbrance.
"That is all very well," said one of the older foxes; "but I do not think you would have recommended us to dispense with our chief ornament if you had not happened to lose it yourself."
Distrust interested advice. [more info]

The Fox Who Had Lost His Tail

065. THE FOX WHO HAD LOST HIS TAIL. A Fox caught in a trap escaped, but in so doing lost his tail. Thereafter, feeling his life a burden from the shame and ridicule to which he was exposed, he schemed to convince all the other Foxes that being tailless was much more attractive, thus making up for his own deprivation. He assembled a good many Foxes and publicly advised them to cut off their tails, saying that they would not only look much better without them, but that they would get rid of the weight of the brush, which was a very great inconvenience. One of them interrupting him said, “If you had not yourself lost your tail, my friend, you would not thus counsel us.”
Moral. Misery loves company. [more info]

The Fox that was Docked

10. THE FOX THAT WAS DOCKED. There was a cunning but over-reaching old Fox, who, having fortified himself within certain Banks for the plucking and eating of unsuspecting Geese, was, nevertheless, unearthed, and pursued by the County Hounds. Being caught by a trap in his flight, he was glad to compound for his neck by leaving his magnificent tail behind him. It was so uncouth a sight for a Fox to appear without this distinguishing ornament of his race, that the very thought of it made him weary of his life. But however, for the better countenance of the scandal, he called the Foxes together, when he made a learned discourse upon the trouble, the uselessness, and the indecency of Foxes wearing long, draggling, bushy tails. He had no sooner finished his harangue, than up rises a cunning old Fox, who desired to be informed whether the worthy Fox that had moved against the wearing of tails gave his advice for the advantage of those that possessed such natural appendages, or to palliate the deformity and disgrace of those that had none.
MORAL. A thief who has had his ears cropped in the pillory, should not be suffered to set the fashion in periwigs. [more info]

The Fox without a Tail

083. THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL. A fox once fell into a trap, and after a struggle managed to get free, but with the loss of his brush. He was then so much ashamed of his appearance that he thought life was not worth living unless he could persuade the other Foxes to part with their tails also, and thus divert attention from his own loss. So he called a meeting of all the Foxes, and advised them to cut off their tails: "They're ugly things anyhow," he said, "and besides they're heavy, and it's tiresome to be always carrying them about with you." But one of the other Foxes said, "My friend, if you hadn't lost your own tail, you wouldn't be so keen on getting us to cut off ours." [more info]

The Fox without a Tail

37. THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL.
Said Fox, minus tail in a trap,
"My friends! here's a lucky mishap;
Give your tails a short lease!"
But the foxes weren't geese,
And none followed the fashion of trap.
YET SOME FASHIONS HAVE NO BETTER REASON
[more info]

The Fox without a Tail

17. THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL. A FOX had had his tail docked off in a trap and in his disgrace began to think his life not worth living. It therefore occurred to him that the best thing he could do was to bring the other Foxes into the same condition and so conceal his own deficiency in the general distress. Having assembled them all together, he recommended them to cut off their tails, declaring that a tail was an ungraceful thing and further was a heavy appendage and quite superfluous. To this, one of them rejoined, "My good friend, if this had not been to your own advantage, you would never have advised us to do it." [more info]

The Tailless Fox

066. THE TAILLESS FOX. You will find the fable in English on this page; scroll down to see if there are multiple English versions. [more info]

The Fox without a Tail

108. THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL. A Fox that had been caught in a trap, succeeded at last, after much painful tugging, in getting away. But he had to leave his beautiful bushy tail behind him.
For a long time he kept away from the other Foxes, for he knew well enough that they would all make fun of him and crack jokes and laugh behind his back. But it was hard for him to live alone, and at last he thought of a plan that would perhaps help him out of his trouble.
He called a meeting of all the Foxes, saying that he had something of great importance to tell the tribe.
When they were all gathered together, the Fox Without a Tail got up and made a long speech about those Foxes who had come to harm because of their tails.
This one had been caught by hounds when his tail had become entangled in the hedge. That one had not been able to run fast enough because of the weight of his brush. Besides, it was well known, he said, that men hunt Foxes simply for their tails, which they cut off as prizes of the hunt. With such proof of the danger and uselessness of having a tail, said Master Fox, he would advise every Fox to cut it off, if he valued life and safety.
When he had finished talking, an old Fox arose, and said, smiling:
"Master Fox, kindly turn around for a moment, and you shall have your answer."
When the poor Fox Without a Tail turned around, there arose such a storm of jeers and hooting, that he saw how useless it was to try any longer to persuade the Foxes to part with their tails.
Do not listen to the advice of him who seeks to lower you to his own level. [more info]