so that people cannot see him. And the spirit is apt to
change itself into a beautiful girl, or a lump of gold or a bolt of
silk. All sorts of deceptions are used to lure folk into the mountain
gorges. Then the tiger comes along and devours his victim, and the new
spirit must serve as his decoy. The old spirit's time of service is
over and it may go. And so it continues, turn by turn. Probably that
is why they say of people who are forced to yield themselves up to
cunning and powerful men, in order that others may be harmed: "They
are the tiger's decoys!"

Note: This tale is traditionally narrated.

XIII

THE FOX AND THE RAVEN

The fox knows how to flatter, and how to play many cunning tricks.
Once upon a time he saw a raven, who alighted on a tree with a piece
of meat in his beak. The fox seated himself beneath the tree, looked
up at him, and began to praise him.

"Your color," he began, "is pure black. This proves to me that you
possess all the wisdom of Laotzse, who knows how to shroud his
learning in darkness. The manner in which you manage to feed your
mother shows that your filial affection equals that which the Master
Dsong had for his parents. Your voice is rough and strong. It proves
that you have the courage with which King Hiang once drove his foes to
flight by the mere sound of his voice. In truth, you are the king of
birds!"

The raven, hearing this, was filled with joy and said: "I thank you! I
thank you!"

And before he knew it, the meat fell to earth from his opened beak.

The fox caught it up, devoured it and then said, laughing: "Make note
of this, my dear sir: if some one praises you without occasion, he is
sure to have a reason for doing so."

Note: Traditionally narrated, it may be taken for
granted that this is simply AEsop's fable in Chinese
dress. The manner of presentation is characteristically
Chinese. For "the wisdom of Laotzse" compare, p. 30,
"The Ancient's Book of Wisdom and Life": "Who sees his
light, yet dwells in darkness." Master Dsong was King
Dsi's most faithful pupil, renowned for his piety. The
raven is known in China as "the bird of filial love,"
for it is said that the young ravens bring forth the
food they have eaten from their beaks again, in order to
feed the old birds.

XIV

WHY DOG AND CAT ARE ENEMIES

Once upon a time there was a man and his wife and they had a ring of
gold. It was a lucky rin