On “story night” all the animals would meet in front of his cave to hear and tell stories.
This night Gray Fox was to tell a story.
Gray Fox was a good story-teller, and so he always had a large audience. Most of the animals were present to hear him.
And this is the story Gray Fox told:
There was once a young fox who was very wasteful. He left half his food on his plate. He spent all his pennies for candy. He broke his playthings purposely, and tore his clothes needlessly. There was really no end to his wastefulness.
This fox belonged to the family of Gray Foxes. And the Gray Foxes were a prosperous nation.
They lived peaceably among themselves and with their neighbors, and every one had plenty to eat, to wear, and to spend.
So no one paid much attention to Young Fox’s wastefulness. Or if the other foxes did pay attention to him, they rather imitated him, for he was a clever young fox.
Soon nearly all the young foxes grew wasteful. They all left half their food on their plates. They all spent their pennies for candy. They all broke their playthings purposely, and tore their clothes needlessly. There was no end to their wastefulness.
And so things went from bad to worse.