In a sunny meadow, a Fox and a Dog enjoyed a friendly relationship. However, as autumn approached, the Fox grew anxious about the upcoming winter, realizing he had not yet stored food for the cold months ahead.
“Dear friend,” the Fox said one morning to the Dog lounging beside him, “won’t you accompany me into the neighboring fields and help me gather food for the winter?”
“Gather food?” yawned the Dog lazily, stretching his limbs. “Why worry when attached to such an excellent friend as a butcher dog who would never forget me? I shall never know hunger so long as my good master is alive.”
“But my good friend,” urged the Fox, “you may survive your master, and then where will you look for food?”
The Dog merely stretched himself, yawned again, and said no more.
Winter arrived, and all the meadows were white with snow. One day the Fox, prowling about near his friend’s home, met the Dog, who looked very droopy and miserable without his usual sleekness.
“Well, friend,” said the Fox, “have you not yet found that you will one day have to look for food yourself?”
“Yes,” said the Dog, with a deep sigh, “and what is more, I am now on my way to the butcher’s to have him give me a morsel, for I have eaten nothing for two days. Do come with me.”
So the Fox accompanied his friend to the butcher’s, and the Dog soon got a good meal, while the shrewd Fox, secretly hoping to get something for himself also, stood awhile watching the butcher at work. But what pleased him best was to see the great scraps the man threw to his little dog which lay cuddled up asleep beside the warm fire in the butcher’s shop.
“You were right after all, friend,” said the Fox; “better starve with a good master than fare well with the dogs of your enemies.”