Page 79 of 274

A hungry Fox found in a hollow tree a quantity of bread and meat,

which some shepherds had placed there against their return.

Delighted with his find he slipped in through the narrow aperture

and greedily devoured it all. But when he tried to get out again

he found himself so swollen after his big meal that he could not

squeeze through the hole, and fell to whining and groaning over

his misfortune. Another Fox, happening to pass that way, came and

asked him what the matter was; and, on learning the state of the

case, said, "Well, my friend, I see nothing for it but for you to

stay where you are till you shrink to your former size; you'll

get out then easily enough."

THE MOUSE, THE FROG, AND THE HAWK