The Fox and the Woodcutter

A fox fleeing from hunters caught sight of a woodcutter and begged him to find her a hiding place. He told her to go into his hut and hide there. A few moments later the hunters arrived and asked the woodcutter whether he had seen a fox pass that way. With his voice he said he had not, but with his hand he made a gesture pointing to where she was hidden. The hunters paid no attention to the gesture and trusted his words; and the fox, seeing them move off, came out and went away without a word. When the woodcutter reproached her for showing not even a word of thanks though he had saved her, the fox replied, "I would have thanked you, if your gestures and your deeds had matched your words."