"Is that another story?" your Aunt Amy asked.
"Yes, it is," Mrs. Mouser said reflectively, "and it shows that there
are times when even a fox can be too cunning. One day while Mr. Fox, who
used to live down in the swamp, was sneaking around behind the barn on
this farm, he saw a bag hanging on the limb of a tree just over the
water barrel.
"'Now I wonder what that is?' he said to himself, as he stopped and
looked first at the bag and then at the barrel. 'It smells good, and I
believe there's meat somewhere around here.'
[Illustration: Mr. Fox Hits Upon a Plan.]
"Then he climbed upon the barrel, and saw that it was half full of
water, so he began to wonder what the meaning of it was.
"'It must be a trap Mr. Man has set for me,' he said rubbing his ear as
if he thought himself very wise. 'He thinks I'll jump up for the bag,
and fall into the water. Now he's got to find a younger fox than I am,
if he wants to make that plan work, for I'm going to know what's hanging
up there, and I won't take any chances of getting drowned, either,
because I'll drink all the water first. Then that will settle it.'
"Well, he began to drink, and drink, and drink, until he swelled up
amazingly; but there was plenty of water still left in the barrel. Then
he drank some more; ran around a few moments, came back and drank again,
until he was all swelled out, and couldn't swallow another drop; but the
barrel appeared to be as full as when he commenced.
"By this time it wasn't possible for him to run the least little bit,
and he was feeling a good deal as his father did after he had found the
crab, when along came Mr. Man, who said:
"'Hello! here's a nice fat fox! I guess I'll take his skin,' and the
next day, lo and behold, there was Mr. Fox's hide nailed up on the barn,
showing that sometimes it is dangerous to be too cunning."