Household Tales · Chapter
The Fox and the Cat explained
The cat meets the fox in the forest and politely greets him.
What happens
The cat meets the fox in the forest and politely greets him. The fox, arrogant and boastful, mocks the cat for knowing only one art—climbing a tree to escape hounds—while he claims mastery of a hundred arts and a sackful of cunning. When a hunter and four dogs appear, the cat quickly climbs a tree to safety, but the fox, unable to escape, is seized and killed by the dogs. The cat remarks that the fox's many arts failed him, whereas her single skill saved her life.
Themes in this chapter
Virtue Rewarded and Vice Punished
The cat's modesty and practical skill (virtue) lead to her survival, while the fox's arrogance and boastfulness (vice) result in his death.
Characters to notice
- the cat
The cat meets the fox in the forest, modestly admits to knowing only one art (climbing a tree), and survives the encounter with the hounds.
- old Mr. Fox
The fox arrogantly boasts of a hundred arts and a sackful of cunning, but is caught and killed by the dogs when he cannot escape.
Key passages
“When the hounds are following me, I can spring into a tree and save myself.”
When dogs chase me, I can jump into a tree to escape.
The cat describes her only art—climbing a tree to evade hounds.
“I am master of a hundred arts, and have into the bargain a sackful of cunning.”
I know a hundred skills and also possess a bag full of clever tricks.
The fox boasts of his many abilities and cunning nature.
“You with your hundred arts are left in the lurch! Had you been able to climb like me, you would not have lost your life.”
Your many arts have failed you! If you could climb like I can, you would still be alive.
The cat comments on the fox's downfall, emphasizing the value of her single, effective skill.