One day, a Fox was caught in a trap.
He struggled and pulled with all his strength until he finally escaped. But there was a problem—his beautiful bushy tail had been left behind.
The Fox was embarrassed.
He knew the other foxes would notice right away and laugh at him. So for many weeks, he stayed away from the rest of the foxes and lived alone.
But being alone made him unhappy.
Eventually, he came up with a plan.
He called a meeting of all the foxes and announced that he had discovered something important that everyone needed to hear.
When the foxes gathered, the tailless Fox stood before them and began a grand speech.
“My friends,” he said, “tails are nothing but trouble! Think about all the dangers they cause.”
He went on and on.
“Some foxes get their tails caught in bushes while escaping danger. Others are slowed down by their heavy tails when they need to run. And hunters often chase foxes because they want their tails as trophies.”
The Fox spoke so confidently that some of the younger foxes began to wonder if he might be right.
At last, he finished with a bold suggestion.
“If you value your safety,” he declared, “you should all cut off your tails!”
The crowd fell silent.
Then an old and wise Fox slowly stood up.
“My friend,” he said with a smile, “before we decide, would you kindly turn around for us?”
The tailless Fox hesitated, but he turned around.
The moment the others saw that he had no tail, they understood the real reason for his speech.
The old Fox nodded.
“It seems your advice would make everyone look exactly like you.”
The foxes laughed, and the tailless Fox realized his plan had failed.
No one was willing to give up their tail just to make him feel better about losing his own.
Don’t forget:
Be cautious of advice from people who benefit when others make the same mistakes or suffer the same losses they have.
Free printable: The Fox Without a Tail – Aesop’s Fable for Kids About Self-Serving Advice
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