The Mouse and the Weasel

161. THE MOUSE AND THE WEASEL A little starveling Mouse had made his way with some difficulty into a basket of corn, where, finding the entertainment so good, he stuffed and crammed himself to such an extent, that when he would have got out again, he found the hole was too small to allow his puffed-up body to pass. As he sat at the hole groaning over his fate, a Weasel, who was brought to the spot by his cries, thus addressed him: “Stop there, my friend, and fast till you are thin; for you will never come out till you reduce yourself to the same condition as when you entered.” [more info]

The Mouse and the Weasel

036. THE MOUSE AND THE WEASEL. A little, starvling, thin-gutted rogue of a mouse, had, with much pushing and application, made his way through a small hole into a corn-basket, where he stuffed and crammed so plentifully, that when he would have retired the way he came, he found himself too plump, with all his endeavours, to accomplish it.
A weasel, who stood at some distance, and had been diverting himself with beholding the vain efforts of the little fat thing, called to him and said, “Harkye, honest friend! If you have a mind to make your escape, there is but one way for it; contrive to grow as poor and lean as you were when you entered, and then, perhaps, you may get off.” [more info]

The Over-Fed Fox

22. THE OVER-FED FOX. A fox was hungry. Seeing, in the hollow of a tree, some bread and meat left there by a shepherd, he slipped through the hole into the tree and feasted merrily. Having devoured everything, he was about to come out, when he discovered that through overeating he had grown too plump and fat to squeeze back through the hole. Upon this he started to howl wofully. Another fox who was passing heard the noise and came to ask what was the matter. When the imprisoned fox told his sad tale, the other said, "Patience, my friend, time cures all misfortunes. The only thing for you to do is to stay where you are until you become as lean as you were when you entered. Then you will be able to slip out easily." [more info]

The Weasel in the Granary

03.17: THE WEASEL IN THE GRANARY.
A weasel through a hole contrived to squeeze,
(She was recovering from disease,)
Which led her to a farmer's hoard.
There lodged, her wasted form she cherish'd;
Heaven knows the lard and victuals stored
That by her gnawing perish'd!
Of which the consequence
Was sudden corpulence.
A week or so was past,
When having fully broken fast.
A noise she heard, and hurried
To find the hole by which she came,
And seem'd to find it not the same;
So round she ran, most sadly flurried;
And, coming back, thrust out her head,
Which, sticking there, she said,
'This is the hole, there can't be blunder:
What makes it now so small, I wonder,
Where, but the other day, I pass'd with ease?'
A rat her trouble sees,
And cries, 'But with an emptier belly;
You enter'd lean, and lean must sally.'
What I have said to you
Has eke been said to not a few,
Who, in a vast variety of cases,
Have ventured into such-like places.
[more info]

The Weasel in the Granary

007. THE WEASEL IN THE GRANARY.
A weasel through a hole contrived to squeeze,
(She was recovering from disease,)
Which led her to a farmer's hoard.
There lodged, her wasted form she cherish'd;
Heaven knows the lard and victuals stored
That by her gnawing perish'd!
Of which the consequence
Was sudden corpulence.
A week or so was past,
When having fully broken fast.
A noise she heard, and hurried
To find the hole by which she came,
And seem'd to find it not the same;
So round she ran, most sadly flurried;
And, coming back, thrust out her head,
Which, sticking there, she said,
'This is the hole, there can't be blunder:
What makes it now so small, I wonder,
Where, but the other day, I pass'd with ease?'
A rat her trouble sees,
And cries, 'But with an emptier belly;
You enter'd lean, and lean must sally.'
[more info]