Fox Wisdom Quotes

And the fox said to the little prince: men have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.

The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.

There's a big difference on being wise and being crafty. The former is the attribute of God, and the latter is that of Satan.

The fox has many tricks. The hedgehog has but one, but that is the best of all.

It's other people who make us wise, and I haven't known nearly enough.

To know others is knowledge. To know oneself is wisdom.

The desire to be noticed has always been an essential part of the human condition.

The early bird gets the worm, and the early fox gets the bird.

There's no progress without bloodshed...

Christianity’s job, in the words of George Fox, is to live in the “power, life, light, seed and wisdom, by which we may take away the occasion of wars.

Too much kindness towards the fox may mean doom for the rabbit.

When I visit the past now, it is for wisdom and experience, not for regret or shame.

A dog rules a farm. A fox rules a bush. A wolf rules a forest. A lion rules a jungle. A fish rules a pond. A crocodile rules a river. A shark rules a sea. A whale rules an ocean.

Who we thought we were dies when a beloved dies. And it takes a while for a new self to rise, often haltingly, from the ashes of our ravaged hearts.

Before you conquer a fox conquer a hyena. Before you conquer a wolf conquer a fox. Before you conquer a jaguar conquer a wolf. Before you conquer a lion conquer a jaguar.

One fox can outsmart ten dozen wolves.

A wise fox will rule over an intelligent wolf.

It would seem to be an inexorable law of Nature that no man shall shine at both ends. If he has a high forehead and a thirst for wisdom, his fox-trotting (if any) shall be as the staggerings of the drunken; while, if he is a good dancer, he is nearly always petrified from the ears upward.

Skyler often thought that the Seneca quotation Poe included was a dig at Dupin-or perhaps Poe himself: Nil sapientiae odiosius acumine nimio. "Nothing is more hateful to wisdom than excessive cleverness." "That's for sure," said Skyler aloud. "Or more succintly put, 'No one likes a smart ass'.

that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways, and that such a person need expect nothing from the Great Law. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally,

You have a heart of stone," the Sea Oracle said, "but did you think that meant your nature was unyielding? If there is something the sea knows, it is that sand is nothing but stone given wisdom by the hand of water over time. And sand can be shaped. How you wish to shape the sand of your heart - that is up to you.

This cat, on the other hand, was its own animal. All cats give that impression, of course, but instead of the mindless animal self-absorption that passes for secret wisdom in the creatures, Greebo radiated genuine intelligence. He also radiated a smell that would have knocked over a wall and caused sinus trouble in a dead fox.

Nature always takes you at your own valuation. Believe that you are the child of God. Believe that you express Life, Truth, Love. Believe that Wisdom guides you. Believe that you are a special enterprise on the part of God—and what you really believe, that you will demonstrate. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be … (1 John

When I visit the past now, it is for wisdom and experience, not for regret or shame. I don’t attempt to erase it, only to accept it. Whatever my physical circumstances are today, I will deal with them and remain present. If I fall, I will rise up. As for the future, I haven’t been there yet. I only know that I have one. Until I don’t. The last thing we run out of is the future. Really, it comes down to gratitude. I am grateful for all of it—every bad break, every wrong turn, and the unexpected losses—because they’re real. It puts into sharp relief the joy, the accomplishments, the overwhelming love of my family. I can be both a realist and an optimist. Lemonade, anyone?

I’ve faced calamity with courage, strength and wisdom. When I think of these things, I cannot help but cry.

I would rather be a fearless fox than a cowardly lion.

A fox raised in a jungle is fiercer than a bear raised in a circus.

A fox with sharp teeth is more dangerous than a bear with blunt paws.

A single fox can outsmart a dozen wolves.

Julian, by calling us to interfere with patriarchy and heal the wounds that it has wracked upon human history and the human soul and the earth, beckons us from folly to wisdom. Are we listening?

One way to combat it was to force sailors to stay on ships for forty days after anchoring, only allowing them to come ashore if they were well after forty days—thus the term quarantine (from the word for forty).

Between God and creation there is no between—that is the message of panentheism, as well as the message of the Cosmic Christ, the Buddha Nature, and tselem, the image of God that Judaism preaches. Such an understanding offers a re-affirmation of the sacredness inherent in all beings.

It never occurred to me that any of these pleasures were a reward for being a pretty good kid, any more than I needed to restructure my life just to avoid an eternity of being spit-roasted on a subterranean barbecue. If this sounds flip, smug, or disrespectful, it's not meant to be. Obviously, there is great wisdom, beauty, and relevance in millennia worth of collected theological teaching from around the world. The question I'm grappling with is: why didn't these big themes and major stick-and-carrot extremes resonate with me? I just never bought into the concept. Maybe I'm part of a small minority, but I don't think so.

Seeds achieve their highest potential in dirt. Birds achieve their highest potential in air. Fish achieve their highest potential in water. Stars achieve their highest potential in darkness. Serpents achieve their highest potential in grass. Monkeys achieve their highest potential in trees. Bats achieve their highest potential in caves. Flowers achieve their highest potential in soil. Worms achieve their highest potential in clay. Crocodiles achieve their highest potential in rivers. Sheep achieve their highest potential in pastures. Termites achieve their highest potential in woodlands. Sharks achieve their highest potential in oceans. Vultures achieve their highest potential in droughts. Sharks achieve their highest potential in oceans. Spiders achieve their highest potential in wildernesses. Camels achieve their highest potential in deserts. Wolves achieve their highest potential in forests. Foxes achieve their highest potential in bushes. Lions achieve their highest potential in jungles.

A lion never loses sleep over a sheep’s sentiments. A fox never loses sleep over a rabbit’s sentiments. A bird never loses sleep over a worm’s sentiments. A cat never loses sleep over a mouse’s sentiments. A monkey never loses sleep over a fruit’s sentiments. A crocodile never loses sleep over a fish’s sentiments. A chameleon never loses sleep over an insect’s sentiments. A hyena never loses sleep over a corpse’s sentiments. A serpent never loses sleep over a mouse’s sentiments. A dog never loses sleep over a rodent’s sentiments. A dog’s appetite is served by its boldness. A serpent’s appetite is served by its craftiness. A hyena’s appetite is served by its covetousness. A chameleon’s appetite is served by its deceptiveness. A crocodile’s appetite is served by its fierceness. A monkey’s appetite is served by its skillfulness. A cat’s appetite is served by its inquisitiveness. A bird’s appetite is served by its swiftness. A fox’s appetite is served by its wittiness. A lion’s appetite is served by its fearlessness.

All the things laughed then, because there stood man—naked and bereft of all his gifts. All the things save the fox, who looked up at the man and saw long slim fingers unencumbered by claws, fingers that could grasp and take and reshape things to suit man’s own purposes. And saw eyes alive with a dreadful intelligence unencumbered by wisdom. And fox was suddenly afraid.

Over two days, the remaining superheroic population of the Earth had heeded the call--by ship, teleport, magical portal, elemental transduction...the H-Man, Pangolin the Protector, Glass Tambourine, Omega-Mur, Hammer and Sickle, Jackdaw, the Infinite Wisdom, Doctor Mandragora, Czar and Tzar and Star, Kalamari Karl, Lightening Dancer, Doctor Chlorophyll, Jack Viking, Monomaniac, the Gin Fairy, the Holy Ghanta, the Bandolier, the Nuclear Atom, the Mysterious Flame, Moonstalker, Cataclysm and Inferno, the Skyguard II, Your Imaginary Pal, Dark Storm, the Hate Witch, Psychofire, Rabid, Riot, Fox and Hound, Hydrolad, Captain Fuji, Captain Cape Town, Captain Australia, Captain...Jeannie lost count, one uniform and one costume blurring into another.

The world's greatest computer is the brain. The world's greatest engine is the heart. The world's greatest generator is the soul. The world's greatest television is the mind. The world's greatest radio is the tongue. The world's greatest camera is the eye. The world's greatest ladder is faith. The world's greatest hammer is courage. The world's greatest sword is accuracy. The world's greatest photographer is sight. The world's greatest knife is fate. The world's greatest spear is intelligence. The world's greatest submerine is a fish. The world's greatest aeroplane is a bird. The world's greatest jet is a fly. The world's greatest bicycle is a camel. The world's greatest motorbike is a horse. The world's greatest train is a centipede. The world's greatest sniper is a cobra. The world's greatest schemer is a fox. The world's greatest builder is an ant. The world's greatest tailor is a spider. The world's greatest assassin is a wolf. The world's greatest ruler is a lion. The world's greatest judge is karma. The world's greatest preacher is nature. The world's greatest philosopher is truth. The world's greatest mirror is reality. The world's greatest curtain is darkness. The world's greatest author is destiny.

A shark does not ask for permission to rule the waters. A bear does not ask for permission to rule the woods. A wolf does not ask for permission to rule the forest. A camel does not ask for permission to rule the desert. A lion does not ask for permission to rule the jungle. Trees do not ask for permission to rule woodlands. Gravel does not ask for permission to rule mountains. Light does not ask for permission to rule summer. Wind does not ask for permission to rule autumn. Snow does not ask for permission to rule winter. Water does not ask for permission to rule the sea. Plants do not ask for permission to rule rainforests. Animals do not ask for permission to rule wildernesses. Stars do not ask for permission to rule the sky. Nature does not ask for permission to rule the world. An eagle achieves more than a turkey in a lifetime. A leopard achieves more than a hyena in a lifetime. A fox achieves more than a rabbit in a lifetime. A falcon achieves more than a vulture in a lifetime. A lion achieves more than a sheep in a lifetime. A leader achieves more than a student in a lifetime. A saint achieves more than a sinner in a lifetime. A prophet achieves more than a priest in a lifetime. A master achieves more than a disciple in a lifetime. A conqueror achieves more than a warrior in a lifetime. A hero achieves more than a villain in a lifetime. A maestro achieves more than an apprentice in a lifetime. A genius achieves more than a talent in a lifetime. A star achieves more than a critic in a lifetime. A legend achieves more than a champion in a lifetime.

If I was a flower, I would sell perfume. If I was a plant, I would sell herbs. If I was a seed, I would sell wood. If I was a tree, I would sell forests. If I was a garden, I would sell beauty. If I was a plant, I would sell medicine. If I was a fish, I would sell oceans. If I was a bee, I would sell honey. If I was a spider, I would sell silk. If I was a firebug, I would sell light. If I was a sheep, I would sell wool. If I was a rabbit, I would sell carrots. If I was a cow, I would sell leather. If I was a hen, I would sell eggs. If I was a stream, I would sell lakes. If I was a river, I would sell seas. If I was a bird, I would sell skies. If I was a monkey, I would sell trees. If I was a dog, I would sell plains. If I was a bear, I would sell caves. If I was a goat, I would sell mountains. If I was a fox, I would sell wit. If I was a dove, I would sell peace. If I was a bear, I would sell valor. If I was a camel, I would sell grit. If I was an owl, I would sell wisdom. If I was a lion, I would sell strength. If I was an elephant, I would sell might.

You may be right, Count Falkenstein. Perhaps it does offend against our obvious interests, against of the King and our own, if we display such boundless sympathy for (Benjamin) Franklin and do our best to help him and his rebels. Nonetheless, there is perhaps a deeper wisdom in our attitude than if we were to cover him with abuse and to proceed to attack him from all sides. Since we cannot hold up the progressive spirit of the times, we are assisting it in its advance. We are sawing at the branch on which we are sitting because we know that it is destined to fall

From: Bernadette Fox To: Manjula Kapoor I’m back! Did you miss me? You know how I said I was going to come up with a way to get out of going to Antarctica? What if I had emergency surgery? My dentist, Dr. Neergaard, keeps insisting I get all four wisdom teeth removed, which I haven’t been in any rush to do. But how about I call up Dr. Neergaard and ask him to remove all four wisdom teeth the day before the trip? (And when I say how about I call up Dr. Neergaard and ask him to remove all four wisdom teeth the day before the trip, what I really mean is how about you call up Dr. Neergaard and ask him to remove all four wisdom teeth the day before the trip?)

As Petrus Alfonsi, the converted physician authored a book called the Disciplina Clericalis, which was essentially a collection of Arabic tales translated into Latin. These tales introduced a mode of Oriental storytelling and wisdom literature into Christendom that would become extremely popular. In the section called “The Mule and the Fox,” concerning the true nature of nobility, Alfonsi listed seven accomplishments expected of a knight. “The skills that one must be acquainted with are as follows: Riding, swimming, archery, boxing, hawking, chess, and verse writing.”6 So, by the beginning of the twelfth century, chess had become a mandatory skill for Spain’s elite warriors.

I have referred to it as a gift--something for which others with this affliction have taken me to task. I was only speaking from my own experience, of course, but I stand partially corrected: if it is a gift, it's the gift that just keeps on taking. Coping with relentless assault and the accumulating damage is not easy. Nobody would ever choose to have this visited upon them. Still, this unexpected crisis forced a fundamental life decision: adopt a siege mentality--or embark upon a journey. Whatever it was--courage? acceptance? wisdom?--that finally allowed me to go down the second road (after spending a few disastrous years on the first) was unquestionably a gift--and absent this neurophysiological catastrophe, I would never have opened it, or been so profoundly enriched. That's why I consider myself a lucky man.

The history of knowledge of good and evil originates in the idea that the gods have a special knowledge that enables them to rule the world: every choice the gods made is good for one creature but bad for another, and can’t be otherwise. If the quail goes out to hunt and the gods sent it a grasshopper, then this is good for the quail but evil for the grasshopper. If the fox goes out to hunt, and the gods withhold the quail, this is good for the quail but evil for the fox. According to totalitarian agriculture, cows may live but wolves must die. Our posture is not just, if a coyote attacks my herd, I will kill it but rather, let’s wipe coyotes off the face of the earth. The observers (Zeugen) of the originators of our totalitarian agriculture culture saw we were deciding who lives and dies, and decided we had eaten at the god’s own tree of wisdom, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The fox—the thinker who knows many little things, draws from an eclectic array of traditions, and is better able to improvise in response to changing events—is more successful in predicting the future than the hedgehog, who knows one big thing, toils devotedly within one tradition, and imposes formulaic solutions on ill-defined problems.

Emergent Religion Emergents say religion is what we make of it. If it is not working, we must reinvent it. To work successfully, it must be a global one-world religion.   “I foresee a resonance, ‘a rebirth based on a spiritual initiative …This new birth will cut through all cultures and religions and indeed will draw forth the wisdom common to all vital mystical traditions in a global religious awakening I call ‘deep Ecumenism,’” Matthew Fox, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, p. 5   “In the emerging culture darkness represents spirituality. We see this in Buddhist temples, as well as Catholic and Orthodox churches. Darkness communicates that something serious is happening.

Be as wise as a fox. Be as harmless as a dove.

The fox knows many things . . . the hedgehog knows one big thing.

Speak again with Messer Simone and fish up what you can. Fair weather or foul, it’s the part of wisdom to be prepared.

A meal becomes good by starting with quality instructions. It becomes great when you add a quality chef.

the first good thing is the goodness of nature.”40 Here she tells us to get out of our own stuckness with the human condition and open our eyes and hearts to the abundant goodness found in nature.

life is short,”42 and we should drink deeply of its goodness while we can.

God loves all that he has created. And so anyone who, in loving God, loves all his fellow creatures loves all that is.

goodness surrounds us in the manifestation of all of nature but it also flows through us on a regular basis; it is Spirit at work in and through us.

Having learned to integrate her readings thoroughly into her own thinking and with years of contemplative study, she creates her own theology. She learns to trust her own experience,

It was when I said, “There is no such thing as the truth,” That the grapes seemed fatter. The fox ran out of his hole. You . . . You said “There are many truths, But they are not parts of a truth.” Then the tree, at night, began to change, Smoking through green and smoking blue. We were two figures in a wood. We said we stood alone. It was when I said, “Words are not forms of a single word. In the sum of the parts, there are only the parts. The world must be measured by eye”; It was when you said, “The idols have seen lots of poverty, Snakes and gold and lice, But not the truth”; It was at that time, that the silence was largest And longest, the night was roundest, The fragrance of the autumn warmest, Closest and strongest.

Would you take an injured fox to your breast and not expect a bite

Starr recognizes the importance of Julian’s message reaching the entire world, rather than being hoarded by religionists of one stripe, when she remarks that Julian’s work is “for the sake of all spiritual seekers everywhere.”13

All her life Sorcha had the rules of names drilled into her. Do not call a person by their first name if you are not familiar with them. Take your husband’s surname when you marry and leave your own behind. Bear a son to pass on his father’s name. Give your children names full of luck, strength, wisdom and beauty, for they would need such traits when they grew up.

in God’s sight, all humanity is one person, and all people are a single humanity.

if your being is good your works will be good, and if your being is just your works will be just.

Standing by while global warming happens is killing the Christ. Ecocide is a form of killing Christ.

The dead are gone,” I say, “not lost as I so often said. We, the living, know where they are. Spirits in Heaven, to be sure, but also shadows come to live in our hearts. The dead breathe through us, in words and wisdom we repeat, once spoken by living lips. By memory they guide us. In our dreams they are there, and in our hearts dwells the love they offered us, and we them. The dead do not die but live on, in us. Just like the living, they are part of our every day, and every day we honour them by refusing to forget all they were to us, their love burns on, a flame constant and unquenchable in our souls.

What can we learn from this imaginative story of time travel? First, that truth is always inconvenient for men in power. It may also be said that truth and power, like love and power, do not mix well. It is a rare man, and a gifted man, who can hold power and credit an unpleasant truth at the same time. It is, in this context, a profound understatement to say that our leaders have no sense of history or foresight. They do not even possess, in themselves, the spiritual or intellectual prerequisites for higher wisdom of any kind. They are political foxes whose thinking is short-term, and whose wisdom is crudely flexible and oriented to the requirements of the day. J.R.Nyquist

The Rooster taught me to wake up early and be a leader. The Butterfly encouraged me to allow a period of struggles to develop strong and look beautiful. The Squirrel showed me to be alert and fast all the time. The Dog influenced me to give up my life for my best friend. The Cat told me to exercise every day. Otherwise, I will be lazy and crazy. The Fox illustrated me to be subtle and keep my place organized and neat. The Snake demonstrated to me to hold my peace even if I am capable of attack, harm, or kill. The Monkey stimulated me to be vocal and communicate. The Tiger cultivated me to be active and fast. The Lion cultured me not to be lazy especially if I have strength and power that could be used. The Eagle was my sample for patience, beauty, courage, bravery, honor, pride, grace, and determination. The Rat skilled me to find my way out no matter what or how long it takes. The Chameleon revealed to me the ability to change my color for beauty and protection. The Fish display to live in peace even if I have to live a short life. The Delphin enhanced me to be the source of kindness, peace, harmony, and protection. The Shark enthused me to live as active and restful as I can be. The Octopus exhibited me to be silent and intelligent. The Elephant experienced me with the value of cooperation and family. To care for others and respect elders. The Pig indicated to me to act smart, clean, and shameless. The Panda appears to me as life is full of white and black times but my thick fur will enable me to survive. The Kangaroo enthused me to live with pride even if I am unable to walk backward. The Penguin influenced me to never underestimate a person. The Deer reveals the ability to sense the presence of hunters before they sense you. The Turtle brightened me to realize that I will get there no matter how long it takes me while having a shell of protection above me. The Rabbit reassured me to allow myself to be playful and silly. The Bat proved to me that I can fly even in darkness. The Alligator/crocodile alerted me that threat exists. The Ant moved me to be organized, active, and social with others. The Bee educated me to be the source of honey and cure for others. The Horse my best intelligent friend with who I bond. Trained me to recover fast from tough conditions. The Whale prompted me to take care of my young ones and show them life abilities. The Crab/Lobster enlightened me not to follow them when they make resolutions depending on previous undesirable events.

I am the wind which breathes upon the sea, I am the wave of the ocean, I am the murmur of the billows, I am the ox of the seven combats, I am the vulture upon the rocks, I am a beam of the sun, I am the fairest of plants. I am the wild boar in valour, I am the salmon in the water, I am a lake in the plain, I am a world of knowledge, I am the point of the lance of battle, I am the God who created the fire in the head.”5 Creating “I am” poems is a powerful practice by which to integrate the Christ in us and in nature with our daily experiences. Julian creates her own “I am” poems. Here is one: Our Lord Jesus oftentimes said: “This I am, This I am. I am what you love. I am what you enjoy. I am what you serve. I am what you long for.

She was quick and sly, which reminded me of myself. She used humor as arms and armor both, correcting what she thought needed correcting with sharp witticisms and using ribald jokes to deflect any questions that might reveal the profound depth of her wisdom and the subtle keenness of her intellect should she answer them directly.

Sometimes leadership requires examples.

This is how the creative intelligence, the universal guide, interacts with me — like music on my soul. It could be similar for you, and it could be quite different, too. Our guides speak to us in the language we know best. This book is being written to tell you why that is, and show you how to listen, so that maybe you, too, will be further enabled to create a life, in alignment with your own soul’s vision of joy.

They should claim that Divine Wisdom is illumining their understanding and directing their actions in the matter, and avoid taking any definite steps until they find a clear leading in their own consciousness.

Swedenborg, Guyon, Fox, Luther, and perhaps Behman [Boehme]: each owes all to the discovery that God must be sought within, not without. That is the discovery of Jesus. Each perceives the worthlessness of all institutions, and the infinity of wisdom that issues from meditation.

The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one important thing,” proclaims an ancient fragment attributed to the Greek poet Archilochus. It is implied that the hedgehog curls into the side of higher wisdom, and we are advised to sink into the still depths of this hedgehog way of knowing. Discerning people have told me that because no one can do everything needed to help the troubled world, it is most impactful (and least confounding) to focus our passion on one thing. Pick one cause, one creature, one ecosystem. Go deep. I think this is mostly true.

Ants eat seeds, spiders eats ants, birds eat spiders, foxes eat birds, wolves eat foxes, bears eat wolves. The Sun alone will never be prey; it preys on all.

A fish is a genius in water, an eagle is a genius in air, a fox is a genius on land, and a sage is a genius in life. 

I have found that a woman who wishes a man to hear what she says can best do so by first telling him his feathers are as fine as a peacock’s, his craftiness could outwit a fox, and his wisdom surpasses that of an owl.

A cunning fox is better than a senseless leopard.

What is contemplation? Says Aquinas: “Contemplation regards the simple act of gazing on truth.

If you are a reasonably competent woman and know how to spot and avoid predictable snares. Like a fox that, no matter how hungry, avoids a baited trap which appears dangerous.

Fox News has always had a bizarre institutional animosity toward the New York Times. The newspaper was routinely caricatured by O’Reilly and the rest of the network as a liberal rag, a monolithic left-wing institution full of reporters and editors crawling all over themselves to destroy the Republican Party and promote a grab bag of progressive causes—atheism, homosexuality, Hollywood depravity, big government, and so on. In a way, Fox’s depiction of the Times was an exact mirror image of the left’s depiction of Fox, but that irony was lost on O’Reilly, who took delight in skewering the Times at every available opportunity. (With the exception of the admittedly frequent occasion that one of his books charted on their Best Sellers list, in which case he was happy to tout their wisdom and authority.)

He wouldn’t turn your wife away.” Deene didn’t flatter himself that he was any particular friend of Moreland’s—he was a vote, perhaps, on some of the duke’s pet bills—but Moreland had been generous with advice at a time when Deene was without much wisdom of his own. “Except I have no wife.” This provoked a surprisingly sweet smile from His Grace. “Then you should rectify that poverty posthaste. Because I am the lone male in my household at present, I am more privy to the ladies’ views on your situation than I would be otherwise. I understand you are being stalked by the debutantes and their mamas.” “Of course I am being stalked.” Lest this conversation continue on into the Moreland home itself, Deene gestured to a bench and waited for Moreland to seat himself before doing the same. “I am the highest available title, unless you count some septuagenarian dukes with ample progeny, and I am in need of an heir. When I am riding to hounds, I will never pursue Reynard with quite the same lack of sympathy I have in the past.” “The fox most often escapes the hounds, because he’s running for his life. The wrong wife can make you entirely resent yours.” How honest could one be with a man twice one’s age? “I cannot say my parents’ union escaped such a characterization.” His Grace stretched out long legs and leaned his head back, closing his eyes. “Times were different then. Matches were usually arranged by the parents for dynastic reasons, and expectations of the institution were different. Here is my advice to you, young man, which you may discard or heed at your pleasure: do not marry until you meet that person whom you cannot imagine living the rest of your life without. Call it love, call it affection, call it a fine understanding. Put whatever label you want on it. You will be wed for the rest of your life or perhaps for hers, and that can be a long, long time.” His

Wisdom defined is knowledge gained through experience.

A fish is smarter than you in water. A bird is cleverer than you in air. A lion is nimbler than you on land. An owl is wiser than you at night. A fox is shrewder than you in the day. A rooster is savvier than you in the morning. A worm is wylier than you in soil. A snake is subtler than you in grass. A monkey is slicker than you in trees. A bat is sharper than you at dusk. A hyena is craftier than you at dawn. A dove is keener than you at midday. A seed is adepter than you in earth. A wolf is slyer than you in forests. A tiger is deadlier than you in jungles.

What can we learn from this imaginative story of time travel? First, that truth is always inconvenient for men in power. It may also be said that truth and power, like love and power, do not mix well. It is a rare man, and a gifted man, who can hold power and credit an unpleasant truth at the same time. It is, in this context, a profound understatement to say that our leaders have no sense of history or foresight. They do not even possess, in themselves, the spiritual or intellectual prerequisites for higher wisdom of any kind. They are political foxes whose thinking is short-term, and whose wisdom is crudely flexible and oriented to the requirements of the day.

One fox can outsmart a dozen wolves.