How a Man Got the Better of Two Foxes

Name: How a Man Got the Better of Two Foxes
Author: Basil Hall Chamberlain

A man was traveling through a forest when he came across two foxes. They were playing and having fun, but the man knew that foxes were sly creatures and could be dangerous. He decided to outsmart them and caught one of the foxes in his arms. The other fox saw this and became angry, but the man was too clever for him. He gave the fox a piece of bread and said, "If you want your friend back, you must do as I say." The fox agreed and the man let him go. The fox returned to his friend and they both ran away. The man was left alone, but he knew that he had outsmarted the foxes.

By Basil Hall Chamberlain · First published 1899 · Genre: Folklore, Fantasy, Adventure · 952 words

First lines

A man went into the mountains to get bark to make rope with, and found a hole. To this hole there came a fox, who spoke as follows, though he was a fox, in human language: "I know of something from which great profit may be derived. Let us go to the place to-morrow!" To which the fox inside the hole replied as follows: "What profitable thing do you allude to? After hearing about it, I will go with you if it sounds likely to be profitable; and if not, not." The fox outside spoke thus: "The profitable thing to be done is this. I will come here to-morrow about the time of the mid-day meal. You must be waiting for me then, and we will go off together. If you take the shape of a horse, and we go off together, I taking the shape of a man and riding on your back, we can go down to the shore, where dwell human beings possessed of plenty of food and all sorts of other things. As there is sure to be among the people some one who wants a horse, I will sell you to him who thus wants a horse. I can then buy a quantity of precious things and of food. Then I shall run away; and you, having the appearance of a horse, will be led out to eat grass, and be tied up somewhere on the hillside. Then, if I come and help you to escape, and we divide the food and the precious things equally between us, it will be profitable for both of us." Thus spoke the fox outside the hole; and the fox inside the hole was very glad, and said: "Come and fetch me early to-morrow, and we will go off together."

What this Textopian page supports

How a Man Got the Better of Two Foxes is listed on Textopian as a fable by Basil Hall Chamberlain, dated 1899 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Fable
Author: Basil Hall Chamberlain
Date: 1899 CE
Language: English
Genres: Folklore, Fantasy, Adventure, Children's Literature
Length: 952 words
Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Work identity for How a Man Got the Better of Two Foxes by Basil Hall Chamberlain
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Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Folklore — Being a tale about a man outsmarting foxes, it is most likely grounded in folklore or traditional storytelling.
Fantasy — The story involves anthropomorphic interactions between a man and foxes, which is a common theme in fantasy literature.
Adventure — The narrative involves a man overcoming challenges set by foxes, which hints at elements of adventure.
Children's Literature — The premise of a man outwitting foxes is playful and can commonly be found in children's literature.