The Fox Without a Tail

A Fox was once caught in a trap by his tail and could only escape by leaving the tail behind. Ashamed of his disfigurement, he felt his life among other foxes was now unbearable. He decided to bring his peers down to his level by convincing them that a tail was an ugly, heavy, and useless appendage. He called a meeting of all the foxes and made a long speech about the benefits of being tailless, urging them to cut theirs off. However, a wise old fox stepped forward and said, 'My friend, if you had not lost your own tail, you would not be so eager to advise us to part with ours.' The assembly burst into laughter, and the humiliated fox slunk away.