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St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, September 1878
The Fox, the Monkey, and the Pig
by Howard Pyle
The fox, the monkey, and the pig were once inseparable companions. As they
were nearly always together, the fox's thefts so far reflected upon his innocent
associates, that they were all three held to be wicked animals.
At length, the enemies of these three laid a snare, in a path they were known
to use.
The first that came to the trap was the pig. He viewed it with contempt, and, to
show his disdain of his enemies and his disregard for their snare, he tried to
walk through it with a lofty tread. He found he had undervalued it, however,
when, in spite of his struggles, he was caught.
The next that came was the monkey. He inspected the trap carefully; then,
priding himself upon the skill and dexterity of his fingers, he tried to pick it
to pieces. In a moment of carelessness, however, he became entangled, and soon
met the same fate as the pig.
The last that came was the fox. He looked at the snare anxiously, from a
distance, and, approaching cautiously, soon made himself thoroughly acquainted
with its size and power. Then he cried, "Thus do I defeat the machinations of my
enemies!"—and, avoiding the trap altogether, by leaping completely over it, he
went on his way rejoicing.
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