One day a Fox said to a Crab: "Crawling thing, did you ever run in all your life?"
"Yes," said the Crab, "I run very often from the mud to the grass and back to the
river."
"Oh, shame!" said the Fox, "that is no distance to run. How many feet and legs
have you? I have only four. Why, if I had as many feet as you have, I would run
at least six times as fast as you do. Did you know that you are really a very slow,
stupid creature? Though I have only four feet I run ten times as far as you do. I
never heard of any one with so many feet as you have, running so slowly."
The Crab said: "Would you like to run a race with a stupid creature like me? I
will try to run as fast as you. I know I am small, so suppose we go to the scales
and see how much heavier you are. As you are ten times larger than I, of course
you will have to run ten times faster.
"Another reason why you can run so fast is because you have such a fine tail and
hold it so high. If you would allow me to put it down, I do not think you would
run any faster than I."
"Oh, very well," said the Fox, contemptuously, "do as you like, and still the race
will be so easy for me that I will not even need to try. Your many legs and your
stupid head do not go very well together. Now, if I had my sense and all of your
legs, no creature in the forest could outrun me. As it is, there are none that can
outwit me. I am known as the sharp-witted. Even man says, 'Qui-kwat-wui-lai'
(sly as a fox). So do what you will, stupid one."
"If you will let me tie your beautiful tail down so it will stay," said the Crab, "I
am sure I can win the race."
"Oh, no, you cannot," said the Fox. "But I will prove to even your stupid, slow
brain that it will make no difference. Now, how do you wish that I should hold
my tail?"
Said the Crab: "If you will allow me to hang something on your tail to hold it
down, I am sure you cannot run faster than I."
"Do as you like," said the Fox.
"Allow me to come nearer," said the Crab, "and when I have it fastened to your