The Fox and the Cat

5.05. De vulpe et catto
Caxton: Of the foxe and of the catte
There is many folke / whiche auauncen them and saye that they ben wyse and subtyle / whiche ben grete fooles and knowynge no thynge / As this fable reherceth / Of a foxe whiche somtyme mette with a Catte / to whome he sayd / My godsep / god yeue yow good daye / And the catte ansuerd / My lord god gyue yow good lyf / And thenne the foxe demaunded of hym / My godsep what canst thow doo / And the catte sayd to hym / I can lepe a lytyl / And the fox sayd to hym / Certaynly thow arte not worthy to lyue / by cause that thow canst nought doo / And by cause that the cat was angry of the foxes wordes / he asked and demaunded of the foxe / And thow godsep what canst tow doo / A thousand wyles haue I sayd the foxe / For I haue a sak ful of scyences and wyles / And I am so grete a clerke / that none may begyle ne deceyue me / And as they were thus spekyng to gyder the cat perceyued a knyght comynge toward them / whiche had many dogges with hym / and sayd to the foxe / My godsep / certaynly I see a knyght / comynge hytherward / whiche ledeth with hym many dogges / the whiche as ye wel knowe ben our enemyes / The foxe thenne ansuerd to the cat / My godsep / thou spekest lyke a coward / and as he that is aferd / lete them come and care not thow / And Incontynently as the dogges perceyued and sawe the foxe and the catte / they beganne to renne vpon them / And whanne the foxe sawe them come / he sayd to the kat / Flee we my broder / flee we / To whome the kat ansuerd / Certaynly godsep / therof is none nede / Neuertheles the foxe byleued not the cat / but fledde / and ranne as fast as he myght for to saue hym / And the catte lepte vpon a tree and saued hym self / sayenge / Now shalle we see / who shalle playe best for to preserue and saue hym self / And whanne the catte was vpon a tree / he loked aboute hym / and sawe how the dogges held the foxe with theyr teethe / to whome he cryed and seyd / O godsep and subtyle foxe / of thy thowsand wyles that syth late thow coudest doo / lete me now see / and shewe to me one of them / the foxe ansuerd not / but was killed of the dogges and the catte was saued /
And therfore the wyse ought not to disprayse the symple / For suche supposeth to be moche wyse / whiche is a kynd and a very foole /
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The Cat and the Fox

060. THE CAT AND THE FOX. As the cat and the fox were talking politics together, on a time, in the middle of a forest, Reynard said, let things turn out ever so bad, he did not care, for he had a thousand tricks for them yet, before they should hurt him.
“But pray,” says he, “Mrs. Puss, suppose there should be an invasion, what course do you design to take?”
“Nay,” says the cat, “I have but one shift for it, and if that won’t do, I am undone.”
“I am sorry for you,” replies Reynard, “with all my heart, and would gladly furnish you with one or two of mine; but indeed, neighbour, as times go, it is not good to trust; we must even be every one for himself, as the saying is, and so your humble servant.”
These words were scarce out of his mouth, when they were alarmed with a pack of hounds that came upon them in full cry. The cat, by the help of her single shift, ran up a tree, and sat securely among the top branches; from whence she beheld Reynard, who had not been able to get out of sight, overtaken with his thousand tricks, and torn into as many pieces by the dogs which had surrounded him. [more info]

The Cat and the Fox

095. THE CAT AND THE FOX. The Cat and the Fox were once talking together in the middle of the forest.
"I do not care what happens," said the Fox, "for I have a thousand tricks, any one of which would get me out of difficulty. But pray, Mrs. Puss," he added, "what would you do if there should be an invasion?"
"I have but one course," Puss replied. "If that would not serve me, I should be undone."
"I am sorry for you," said the Fox. "I would gladly teach you one or two of my tricks, but it is not wise to trust another. We must each take for himself."
These words were hardly spoken, when a pack of hounds came upon them in full cry. The Cat, by means of her one well-proved safeguard, ran up a tree and sat serenely among the branches.
"This is my way," she said to the Fox. "What is yours to be?"
The Fox, with all his thousand tricks, was not able to get out of sight and fell a prey to the dogs. [more info]

The Cat and the Fox

42. THE CAT AND THE FOX. The fox and the cat were talking together in the middle of the forest . Said Reynard, "Whatever happens I am safe, for I have a thousand tricks by which to escape from either hunters or dogs. Now, Mrs. Puss, pray what would you do if you were to be suddenly attacked?"
"Alas!" answered the cat; "I have only one plan for avoiding my enemies, and if that fail me, I am undone."
"I am very sorry for you then," cried the fox, "and gladly would I teach you some of my tricks, but, as you know, in times like these it is not wise to trust anyone. Everyone must look out for himself, and I must do likewise."
As he spoke, a pack of hounds came rushing through the woods. The cat, following her usual plan, ran up a tree and stayed there safely until the danger was past. But the fox amongst all his thousand tricks found not one to help him, for he was overtaken by the dogs and killed instantly. [more info]

The Cat and the Fox

020. THE CAT AND THE FOX. As the cat and the fox were talking politics together, on a time, in the middle of a forest, Reynard said, let things turn out ever so bad, he did not care, for he had a thousand tricks for them yet, before they should hurt him.
“But pray,” says he, “Mrs. Puss, suppose there should be an invasion, what course do you design to take?”
“Nay,” says the cat, “I have but one shift for it, and if that won’t do, I am undone.”
“I am sorry for you,” replies Reynard, “with all my heart, and would gladly furnish you with one or two of mine; but indeed, neighbour, as times go, it is not good to trust; we must even be every one for himself, as the saying is, and so your humble servant.”
These words were scarce out of his mouth, when they were alarmed with a pack of hounds that came upon them in full cry. The cat, by the help of her single shift, ran up a tree, and sat securely among the top branches; from whence she beheld Reynard, who had not been able to get out of sight, overtaken with his thousand tricks, and torn into as many pieces by the dogs which had surrounded him. [more info]

The Cat and the Fox

09.14: THE CAT AND THE FOX.
The cat and fox, when saints were all the rage,
Together went on pilgrimage.
Arch hypocrites and swindlers, they,
By sleight of face and sleight of paw,
Regardless both of right and law,
Contrived expenses to repay,
By eating many a fowl and cheese,
And other tricks as bad as these.
Disputing served them to beguile
The road of many a weary mile.
Disputing! but for this resort,
The world would go to sleep, in short.
Our pilgrims, as a thing of course,
Disputed till their throats were hoarse.
Then, dropping to a lower tone,
They talk'd of this, and talk'd of that,
Till Renard whisper'd to the cat,
'You think yourself a knowing one:
How many cunning tricks have you?
For I've a hundred, old and new,
All ready in my haversack.'
The cat replied, 'I do not lack,
Though with but one provided;
And, truth to honour, for that matter,
I hold it than a thousand better.'
In fresh dispute they sided;
And loudly were they at it, when
Approach'd a mob of dogs and men.
'Now,' said the cat, 'your tricks ransack,
And put your cunning brains to rack,
One life to save; I'll show you mine—
A trick, you see, for saving nine.'
With that, she climb'd a lofty pine.
The fox his hundred ruses tried,
And yet no safety found.
A hundred times he falsified
The nose of every hound.—
Was here, and there, and everywhere,
Above, and under ground;
But yet to stop he did not dare,
Pent in a hole, it was no joke,
To meet the terriers or the smoke.
So, leaping into upper air,
He met two dogs, that choked him there.
Expedients may be too many,
Consuming time to choose and try.
On one, but that as good as any,
'Tis best in danger to rely.
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The Cat and the Fox

2.58. THE CAT AND THE FOX. As the Cat and the Fox were talking politics together, on a time, in the middle of the forest, Reynard said, Let things turn out ever so bad, he did not care, for he had a thousand tricks for them yet before they should hurt him. "But pray," says he, "Mrs Puss, suppose there should be an invasion, what course do you design to take?"
"Nay," says the Cat, "I have but one shift for it; and if that won't do, I am undone."
"I am sorry for you," replies Reynard, "with all my heart, and would gladly furnish you with one or two of mine, but indeed, neighbour, as times go, it is not good to trust; we must even be every one for himself, as the saying is, and so your humble servant."
These words were scarce out of his mouth, when they were alarmed with a pack of hounds that came upon them full cry. The Cat, by the help of her single shift, ran up a tree, and sat securely among the top branches; from whence she beheld Reynard, who had not been able to get out of sight, overtaken with his thousand tricks, and torn in as many pieces by the dogs which had surrounded him.
MORAL. Successful cunning often makes an ostentatious pretension to wisdom. [more info]

The Fox and the Cat

38. THE FOX AND THE CAT. A Fox was boasting to a Cat of its clever devices for escaping its enemies. "I have a whole bag of tricks," he said, "which contains a hundred ways of escaping my enemies."
"I have only one," said the Cat; "but I can generally manage with that."
Just at that moment they heard the cry of a pack of hounds coming towards them, and the Cat immediately scampered up a tree and hid herself in the boughs. "This is my plan," said the Cat. "What are you going to do?"
The Fox thought first of one way, then of another, and while he was debating the hounds came nearer and nearer, and at last the Fox in his confusion was caught up by the hounds and soon killed by the huntsmen. Miss Puss, who had been looking on, said: "Better one safe way than a hundred on which you cannot reckon." [more info]

The Cat and the Fox

069. THE CAT AND THE FOX.
The cat and fox, when saints were all the rage,
Together went on pilgrimage.
Arch hypocrites and swindlers, they,
By sleight of face and sleight of paw,
Regardless both of right and law,
Contrived expenses to repay,
By eating many a fowl and cheese,
And other tricks as bad as these.
Disputing served them to beguile
The road of many a weary mile.
Disputing! but for this resort,
The world would go to sleep, in short.
Our pilgrims, as a thing of course,
Disputed till their throats were hoarse.
Then, dropping to a lower tone,
They talk'd of this, and talk'd of that,
Till Renard whisper'd to the cat,
'You think yourself a knowing one:
How many cunning tricks have you?
For I've a hundred, old and new,
All ready in my haversack.'
The cat replied, 'I do not lack,
Though with but one provided;
And, truth to honour, for that matter,
I hold it than a thousand better.'
In fresh dispute they sided;
And loudly were they at it, when
Approach'd a mob of dogs and men.
'Now,' said the cat, 'your tricks ransack,
And put your cunning brains to rack,
One life to save; I'll show you mine—
A trick, you see, for saving nine.'
With that, she climb'd a lofty pine.
The fox his hundred ruses tried,
And yet no safety found.
A hundred times he falsified
The nose of every hound.—
Was here, and there, and everywhere,
Above, and under ground;
But yet to stop he did not dare,
Pent in a hole, it was no joke,
To meet the terriers or the smoke.
So, leaping into upper air,
He met two dogs, that choked him there.
Expedients may be too many,
Consuming time to choose and try.
On one, but that as good as any,
'Tis best in danger to rely.
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The Fox and the Cat

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

The Cat and the Fox

52. THE CAT AND THE FOX.
The Fox said "I can play when it fits
Many wiles that with man make me quits."
"But my trick's up a tree!"
Said the Cat, safe to see
Clever Fox hunted out of his wits.
TRUST TO SKILL RATHER THAN WIT
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The Cat and the Fox

THE CAT AND THE FOX. Once a Cat and a Fox were traveling together. As they went along, picking up provisions on the way—a stray mouse here, a fat chicken there—they began an argument to while away the time between bites. And, as usually happens when comrades argue, the talk began to get personal.
"You think you are extremely clever, don't you?" said the Fox. "Do you pretend to know more than I? Why, I know a whole sackful of tricks!"
"Well," retorted the Cat, "I admit I know one trick only, but that one, let me tell you, is worth a thousand of yours!"
Just then, close by, they heard a hunter's horn and the yelping of a pack of hounds. In an instant the Cat was up a tree, hiding among the leaves.
"This is my trick," he called to the Fox. "Now let me see what yours are worth."
But the Fox had so many plans for escape he could not decide which one to try first. He dodged here and there with the hounds at his heels. He doubled on his tracks, he ran at top speed, he entered a dozen burrows,—but all in vain. The hounds caught him, and soon put an end to the boaster and all his tricks.
Common sense is always worth more than cunning. [more info]