It happened that the cat met the fox in a forest, and as she thought to herself, "He is clever and full of experience, and much esteemed¹ in the world," she spoke² to him in a friendly way. "Good-day, dear Mr. Fox, how are you? How is all with you? How are you getting through this dear season?" The fox, full of all kinds of arrogance³, looked at the cat from head to foot, and for a long time did not know whether he would give any answer or not. At last he said, "Oh, thou wretched beard-cleaner, thou piebald fool, thou hungry mouse-hunter, what canst thou be thinking of? Dost thou venture to ask how I am getting on? What hast thou learnt? How many arts dost thou understand?" - "I understand but one," replied the cat, modestly. "What art is that?" asked the fox. "When the hounds are following me, I can spring into a tree and save myself." - "Is that all?" said the fox. "I am master of a hundred arts, and have into the bargain a sackful of cunning. Thou makest me sorry for thee; come with me, I will teach thee how people get away from the hounds." Just then came a hunter with four dogs. The cat sprang nimbly up a tree, and sat down on top of it, where the branches and foliage⁴ quite concealed⁵ her. "Open your sack, Mr. Fox, open your sack," cried the cat to him, but the dogs had already seized him, and were holding him fast. "Ah, Mr. Fox," cried the cat. "You with your hundred arts are left in the lurch⁶! Had you been able to climb like me, you would not have lost your life."

一只猫在森林里遇到一只狐狸，心想："他又聪明，经验又丰富，挺受人尊重的。"于是它很友好地和狐狸打招呼："日安，尊敬的狐狸先生，您好吗？这些日子挺艰难的，您过得怎么样？"狐狸傲慢地将猫从头到脚地打量了一番，半天拿不定主意是不是该和它说话。最后它说："哦，你这个倒霉的长着胡子、满身花纹的傻瓜、饥肠辘辘地追赶老鼠的家伙，你会啥？有什么资格问我过得怎么样？你都学了点什么本事？""我只有一种本领。"猫谦虚地说。"什么本领？"狐狸问。"有人追我的时候，我会爬到树上去藏起来保护自己。""就这本事？"狐狸不屑地说："我掌握了上百种本领，而且还有满口袋计谋。我真觉得你可怜，跟着我吧，我教你怎么从追捕中逃生。"

就在这时，猎人带着四条狗走近了。猫敏捷地窜到一棵树上，在树顶上蹲伏下来，茂密的树叶把它遮挡得严严实实。"快打开你的计谋口袋，狐狸先生，快打开呀！"猫冲着狐狸喊道。可是猎狗已经将狐狸扑倒咬住了。"哎呀，狐狸先生，"猫喊道，"你的千百种本领就这么给扔掉了！假如你能像我一样爬树就不至于丢了性命了！"