A jar of honey was upset and the sticky sweetness flowed out on the table. Just then the Cat let go his hold, and before the Mice recovered from their surprise, he had made an end of three or four. But Master Fox very wisely stayed outside, thanking the Lion very kindly for the invitation. Instead, not long afterward, he invited the Fox to dine with him in turn. A third time and she drew out the chestnut. What they seemed to think of more than anything else was to get something to eat, and it did not matter much to them how they got it. And so they died, giving their lives for the sake of a taste of sweetness.
The race is not always to the swift.