The faithful Horse and the Fox

An arab once had a horse that had served him faithfully for years,but was now very old and thus no longer wanted. “Go away!” the master told the horse. “When you return as strong as a lion, you will find the stable open for you again!” So the poor horse had to leave. On the road,he met a fox, two whom the horse told his story. The fox consoled him at once, “Have courage, dear horse! Lie down here on the road and pretend to be dead. Then just leave everything to me!” The fox then ran off to the den of a large lion. “There’s a dead horse on the road !” he exclaimed. “You should go and get it !” “Fine.”said the Lion,”but how will I drag it back here? It would weigh too much!” “Don’t worry, my friend,”replied the fox. “I’II tie the horse to your tail!’’ The Lion agreed to this plan, and when they reached the horse,the fox tied it tightly to the lion’s tail. As soon as the last knot was tied, the fox shouted, “Hup! Home! “ to the horse. The horse leapt to hisfeet and ran home to his master, dragging the enraged and struggling lion behind him. When the Arab saw the two animals, he said, “Well, my old friend, you really are stronger than a lion. From now on, I’’II look after you until the day you die.”