Hares, Foxes and Eagles

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Hares, Foxes and Eagles

Count the cost before you commit yourselves.

Townsend version

The hares waged war with the Eagles, and called upon the Foxes to help them. They replied, "We would willingly have helped you, if we had not known who you were, and with whom you were fighting."

Moral

Count the cost before you commit yourselves.

L'Estrange version

There goes an old story of a bloudy war betwixt the hares, and the eagles; and the hares would fain have drawn the foxes into their alliance, but very franckly and civilly, they gave them this answer. That they would serve them with all their hearts, if they did not perfectly understand both the hares themselves, and the enemy they were to cope withal.

Moral

There's no entering into any league, without well examining the faith, and strength of the parties to't.

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