Friday, March 28, 2014

The Fox and the Desert


Through the brisk morning air chased the fox, his prey the hare. Against his better judgement, the hare led his pursuer into the desert, away from the forest which would have given him many places to hide. At noon the Fox broke, sick with hunger but seeing the impossible task that was outrunning the Hare.

Keeping a safe distance, the Hare said to the Fox, "Here we are, miles from our homes in the bitter reaches of an alien land. Band together, we must, or we will never see our families again." The Fox agreed to this truce, and replied "There, in the distance, I see an oasis. Let us travel that way and drink now, for we may hardly see a drop 'fore we find home." "Nay," said the Hare. "The wind blows in the opposite direction, from the coast and our home. This is how it has always blown, and thus we should travel that way in haste." The Fox did not trust the Hare, though,  and said in turn "a Harish trick of logic, you shall not use to fool me. I see water in my direction, but I see no wind, nor any coast in yours. Prove to mine eyes what you suggest, and I will join you that way."

The Hare could not prove his point to the Fox's eyes, so they agreed to part ways; the Fox moving toward the oasis, the Hare traveling against the wind. After a long while, the Hare came to a large dune. Looking back, he saw the Fox drinking sand in the far distance, no oasis in sight. To this he said, "Woe to he that believe in err' that sight be the only sense to which truth bears itself, for he will end his days chasing mirages." And the Fox did end his days that way.

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