A Fox, in swimming across a rapid river, was swept away by the current and carried a long way downstream in spite of his struggles, until at last, bruised and exhausted, he managed to scramble on to dry ground from a backwater. As he lay there unable to move, a swarm of horseflies settled on him and sucked his blood undisturbed, for he was too weak even to shake them off. A Hedgehog saw him, and asked if he should brush away the flies that were tormenting him; but the Fox replied, “Oh, please, no, not on any account, for these flies have sucked their fill and are taking very little from me now; but, if you drive them off, another swarm of hungry ones will come and suck all the blood I have left, and leave me without a drop in my veins.”
有一只狐狸，游泳穿过一条湍急的河流，却被水流冲走，尽管他奋力挣扎，还是被冲向下游很远的地方。最后他浑身是伤，筋疲力尽，才在一片回水处挣扎着上了岸。他躺在河岸上动弹不得，有一群牛虻落在他身上，镇定地吸着他的血，他太虚弱了，没有力气把他们赶走。这时一只刺猬看到了，问是否需要帮忙把这群折磨他的牛虻赶走。狐狸回答说：“哦，拜托，不用了，千万不要。这些牛虻已经吸了足够的血，现在不怎么吸了，但是如果你把他们赶走，就会飞来一群还饿着的，把我身上剩下的血都吸走，我的血管里就剩不下一滴血了。”