A Fox, swimming across a river, was barely able to reach the
bank, where he lay bruised and exhausted from his struggle with
the swift current. Soon a swarm of blood-sucking flies settled on
him; but he lay quietly, still too weak to run away from them.
A Hedgehog happened by. "Let me drive the flies away," he said
kindly.
"No, no!" exclaimed the Fox, "do not disturb them! They have
taken all they can hold. If you drive them away, another greedy
swarm will come and take the little blood I have left."
_Better to bear a lesser evil than to risk a greater in removing
it._
[Illustration]