Cobwebs from an Empty Skull

A fox and a duck having quarrelled about the ownership of a frog, agreed to refer the dispute to a lion.  After hearing a great deal of argument, the lion opened his mouth to speak.

“I am very well aware,” interrupted the duck, “what your decision is.  It is that by our own showing the frog belongs to neither of us, and you will eat him yourself.  But please remember that lions do not like frogs.”

“To me,” exclaimed the fox, “it is perfectly clear that you will give the frog to the duck, the duck to me, and take me yourself.  Allow me to state certain objections to—­”

“I was about to remark,” said the lion, “that while you were disputing, the cause of contention had hopped away.  Perhaps you can procure another frog.”

To point out the moral of this fable would be to offer a gratuitous insult to the acuteness of the reader.