A Lion who was the king of a great forest once said to his subjects: "I
want some one among you to tell me stories one after another without
ceasing. If you fail to find somebody who can so amuse me, you will
all be put to death."
In the East there is a proverb which says; "The king kills when he
will," so the animals were in great alarm.
The Fox said: "Fear not; I shall save you all. Tell the king the
Story-teller is ready to come to court when ordered." So the animals
had orders to send the Story-teller at once to the presence. The Fox
bowed respectfully, and stood before the king, who said: "So you are to
tell us stories without ceasing?"
"Yes, your Majesty," said the Fox.
"Then begin," said the Lion.
"But before I do so," said the Fox, "I would like to know what your
Majesty means by a story."
"Why," said the Lion, "a narrative containing some interesting event or
fact."
"Just so," said the Fox, and began: "There was once a fisherman who
went to sea with a huge net, and spread it far and wide. A great many
fish got into it. Just as the fisherman was about to draw the net the
coils snapped. A great opening was made. First one fish escaped."
Then the Fox stopped.
"What then?" said the Lion.
"Then two escaped," said the Fox.
"What then?" asked the impatient Lion.
"Then three escaped," said the Fox. Thus, as often as the Lion
repeated his query, the Fox increased the number by one, and said as
many escaped. The Lion was vexed, and said: "Why you are telling me
nothing new!"
"I wish that your majesty may not forget your royal word," said the
Fox. "Each event occurred by itself, and each lot that escaped was
different from the rest."
"But wherein is the wonder?" said the Lion.
"Why, your majesty, what can be more wonderful than for Fish to escape
in lots, each exceeding the other by one?"
"I am bound by my word," said the Lion, "else I would see your carcass
stretched on the ground."
The Fox replied in a whisper: "_If tyrants that desire things
impossible are not at least bound by their own word, their subjects can
find nothing to bind them_."