Once a crow stole a piece of cheese and flew to a treetop to enjoy her prize.  A fox caught sight of her, and thought to himself, "If I am clever and act quickly, I shall have that cheese for my supper!"

     So he sat under the tree and began to speak to the crow in his softest and most polite tone of voice.  " Good day, Mistress Crow," he began.  "how fine you look today!  Your feathers are so glossy and black, and your claws look so strong.

     "Why, you look like a queen perched there on that branch," the fox crooned.  "I am certain that it must be every bit as beautiful as the rest of you!"

     The vain crow was delighted, for she believed his every word.  She nodded her head and flapped her wings with joy.  She was especially pleased that the fox had praised her voice, for she had often been told that her caw was rather harsh.  So, thinking to impress the fox with her lovely voice, she opened her beak wide.

     Down fell the cheese right into the fox's open jaws!  As the fox trotted away, licking his lips, he called to the crow, "Next time someone flatters you, you would do well to be more cautious!"

     And so we learn from the tale of the fox and the crow that flatterers are not to be trusted!