Aesop | Greece
A Hunted Beaver
In a forest, a beaver's tail was sought for its healing power, but the beaver escaped by sacrificing its own tail.
In the heart of a sprawling forest, lived a beaver, known for its hardy tail. A belief thrived among humans that this tail held great healing power. This, in turn, led many to hunt the beaver, longing for the miracle they thought was enclosed within its tail.
One particular day, danger lurked in the woods. The beaver felt the presence of a human and heard their swift steps closing in. The chase had begun. The human's desire for the beaver's tail drove them faster, closer. Fear coursed through the beaver, its life hanging in the balance.
In the throes of this peril, an idea sparked in the beaver's mind. Though it knew it would be painful, it saw no other way. It made a difficult choice: with a quick, firm bite, it severed its own tail.
The human, upon finding the tail but not the beaver, was satisfied and retreated, leaving the beaver to its quiet forest life. The beaver felt the sting of its loss, but also the joy of survival. From that day on, it lived a safe life, though tail-less, knowing it had outsmarted the human's greed.
