Sir Henry Wotton entranced King James I with a tale about a resourceful fox. Unsure whether he could get a stolen piglet over a stream, this fox had selected a log of comparable size and weight and swum across with it. Thus satisfied, he returned and brought his prize safely over — all in front of Sir Henry’s astonished eyes.

Another foxy tale to amuse the King came from the Earl of Southampton. He said he had seen a fox tossing bits of greenery into a stream, until the waterfowl stopped taking any notice. Then taking some greenery between his teeth, the wily fellow slid into the water, swam right up to the birds, and grabbed one.

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