The Quarrel

A lion and a Bear were hunting in the woods one day when both caught the same fawn. They at once began to quarrel about it.

"It is mine," said the Lion. "I killed it with my strong jaws."

"It is mine," said the Bear. "I killed it with my strong paws."

Then they fought over it till they were both so worn out that they could fight no longer. They were so weak that they lay upon the ground panting and glaring at each other and unable to move.

A Fox who happened to be going past, saw them with the dead fawn lying between them. He ran up quickly, seized the fawn in his mouth, and carried it away for his own dinner.

"What fools we are," said both the Lion and the Bear, "to go to all this trouble for the Fox."

The Fox laughed as he ate, and said, "If you had agreed between yourselves, you might have made me go hungry."