A story is told about a fox that once lived in a den on a mountain. Every time a cub of his began to gain strength, he was driven by hunger to eat it. If he had not done this and had allowed the cub to live, staying with it and guarding it, he himself would have starved to death, but it hurt him to do what he did. A crow used to come to the peak of the mountain and the fox said to himself: ‘I would like to make friends with this crow and take him as a companion in my loneliness and as a helper in my search for food, since he can do things that I cannot.’ So he approached the crow, going near enough for him to hear what he said. He then greeted him, saying: ‘My friend, Muslim neighbours share two rights – the right of neighbourhood and the right of Islam. Know that you are my neighbour and you have a claim on me which I must satisfy, especially since this relationship of ours has gone on for so long. The affection for you that is lodged in my heart prompts me to treat you with kindness and leads me to seek to have you as a brother. What do you have to say?’ The crow told the fox: ‘The best things said are the most truthful. It may be that what you say with your tongue is not in your heart. I am afraid lest your talk of brotherhood may be on the surface, while concealed in your heart is enmity. You eat and I am eaten and so we cannot join together in the union of affection. What has led you to look for something that you cannot get and to want what can never be? You are a wild beast and I am a bird, and there can be no true brotherhood between us.’
The fox said: ‘He who knows where great things are to be found can make a proper choice from among them, and so he may be able to find what will help his brothers. I want to be near you and choose friendship with you so that we can help each other, and our affection may lead to success. I know a number of stories about the beauty of friendship, and if you like, I shall tell them to you.’ ‘You have my permission to produce them,’ said the crow. ‘Tell me them, so that I can listen, take heed and discover their meaning.’ ‘Listen then, my companion,’ said the fox, ‘to a story told of a flea and a mouse which illustrates the point I made to you.’ ‘What was that?’ asked the crow, AND THE FOX REPLIED:
