Some of Æsop's Fables with Modern Instances

THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL

Alfred Caldecott translation

A fox without a tail arguing with other foxes.

THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL.

A Fox had had his tail docked off in a trap, and in his disgrace began to think his life not worth living. It therefore occurred to him that the best thing he could do was to bring the other Foxes into the same condition, and so conceal his own deficiency in the general distress. Having assembled them all together he recommended them to cut off their tails, declaring that a tail was an ungraceful thing; and, further, was a heavy appendage, and quite superfluous. To this one of them rejoined: "My good friend, if this had not been to your own advantage you would never have advised us to do it."

A spinster instructs a group of younger ladies on the unnecessary nature of husbands. The caption says, “Nonsense, my dears! Husbands are ridiculous things & are quite unnecessary!”