100 FAVOURITE FABLES.

FABLE LXXII.

THE COCK AND THE FOX.

A Cock, being perched among the branches of a lofty
tree, crowed aloud, so that the shrillness of his voice echoed
through the wood and invited a Fox to the place, who was
prowling in that neighbourhood in quest of his prey. But
Reynard, finding the Cock was inaccessible by reason of the
height of his situation, had recourse to stratagem in order to
decoy him down. So, approaching the tree, ‘‘ Cousin,”’ says
he, ‘‘I am heartily glad to see you; but at the same time I
cannot forbear expressing my uneasiness at the inconvenience
of the place, which will not let me pay my respects to you in
a handsomer manner; though I suppose you will come down
presently, and thus the difficulty will be easily removed.”

‘‘ Indeed, cousin,’’ says the Cock, ‘to tell you the truth,
I do not think it safe to venture upon the ground; for
though Iam convinced how much you are my friend, yet I
may have the misfortune to fall into the clutches of some other
beasts, and what will become of me then?’’ ‘Oh, dear!’’
says Reynard, “‘is it possible that you can be so ignorant,