Once upon a time there was a wicked fox who was a cheat, conman and liar. Let us call him John and his deeds were blacker than sin. He cheated youths out of their coins, sullied the name of honest lame beggars, and ruined the fortunes of old ladies. Yet John could not trick his way through life forever. People became wary and old cons soon turned to failures. In the end John the fox was left destitute and walked the streets begging. Yet no honest beggar would give him peace, no lady or man would give him alms. 
	Chased out under shelter and with no coin to buy bread, John was driven out into the rain. So he was left out in the cold gnawing at a discarded piece of hardtack in his tattered rags. John bitterly cursed the world and wishing just wishing that he could be clothed, eat fully, and sleep warmly. That wicked sinner cared not how to earn by honest toil but wracked his brain for another devilish plot to cheat, lie, swindle and bamboozle some poor innocent soul. Then from the streets came an utterly black carriage, built with the finest ebony woods and gilded with pale silver. It passed and splashed a wave of puddle water over John. Yet the carriage stopped and its door opened towards a soaked and furious red fox. Words of anger stopped in the fox’s throat when he saw who was sitting in the stage coach. It was a brown rabbit gentleman, dressed in somber and rich evening wear. He beckoned the fox into the coach and John leaped into the carriage. This might his chance to shake this rabbit down for all he had. The gentleman introduced himself as Lord Alan and noticed the predicament that John was in. The fact was that Alan was looking for somebody to work for him and the fox seemed to be a good idea. The rabbit stated that there’ll be pay with room and board, asking the fox if this was agreeable. John chuckled to himself and agreed, not believing his luck for a mark just welcoming the fox into his home like this.
	The rabbit took out a piece of paper stating that it was a contract and asked the fox to sign. John did so for he thought that he’ll be long away with enough to set him for life. The lord lived in a huge castle that was strangely empty of servants but there was a meal set for two. John dug into the bread and meat and tasted salt within each bite. The rabbit just smiled and had a light salad. When the two had finished their meal the rabbit took the fox to the kitchen where oddly enough there were no servants at the hour. Lord Alan pointed to a pile of lentils and wheat and told John to sort them into two piles and put them into a dish. The rabbit then left the fox to do that chore. Yet the cunning mind of John worked not at honest toil but filthy sin. He stole out of the kitchen and began to hunt around the keep. He was not disappointed, fine rugs, golden and silver cutlery, priceless heirloom jewels, bags and bags of gleaming coins. The fox could not believe what wealth he could steal. What was better was in his explorations was an already hitched cart that could carry all of John’s ill gotten gains. 
	Thus the fox threw as much as he could steal and drove away from Lord Alan’s keep. He drove furiously and laughed at the rabbit’s foolishness. With everything that the fox had stolen, he would never go hungry again. When John had driven enough that he was sure he would not be found he curled into sleep dreaming of feasts, drink, and luxury.
	
	He awoke to a harsh reality when he opened his eyes, hands tied together with rope and hoisted into the air. His ankles were similarly bound together and all his rags were taken from him. Standing in front of the fox with riding crop in hand was a dark faced Lord Alan. “So I take you into my home, feed you with bread and salt, give you work with pay and you dare have the gall to rob me?!” A swift smack across John’s face came from the riding crop. John protested this and tried to think of something, some excuse that would get him out of this. He began to speak but was silenced again from another riding crop slap. “None of your lies! You think that you can talk your way out of this do you?” Lord Alan’s smile turned as sharp and cruel as a knife. “Well no and there are three reasons why. One you have stolen from me, Two you have spit upon my hospitality, Three you broke your contract.” The rabbit took out the contract that John had signed. “And now I’ll take what is owed to me three times over.”
	John’s eyes widen “but I don’t have anything to take.” 
	“You’re so very wrong” Alan said and he bent down and removed the fox’s feet. John screamed though he felt no pain, his feet had detached from his legs and now rested in the rabbit’s hands. Lord Alan made some disapproving sounds “So dirty with the filth of your deeds.”
	“No! Give them back! Let me go, you monster!” John screamed but was coldly rebuked by Alan who stole away the fox’s tongue. John could no longer speak well and thrashed in his bonds. The rabbit systematically took the fox apart, from hands, to arms, legs to thighs, his head detached from his torso, eyes, ears and teeth plucked off his head and his heart and organs taken out of his chest with John’s chest acting like warm putty to the rabbit’s touch. The fox lay in pieces on the floor whimpering and they were gathered up and taken to a large boiling cauldron. John’s nose smelled hot milk and the disabled fox tried to whimper for mercy. Begging, pleading anything to be saved, and the rabbit dumped the fox parts into the boiling milk. Lord Alan closed the lid and smiled again for in the morning the fox would be his forever.

	In the morning the Lord of the keep was in front of the pot which had cooled down. The rabbit lifted the lid and rising from the milk was the fox nude and whole again. Yet in the eyes there was no guile, in the hands no deceit, and in the posture no wickedness. Lord Alan cupped the fox’s cock in his hand and stroked causing John to whimper. “Now how is my new lover?”
	“Wonderful my lord, your love feels as refreshed and pure as virgin snow.” The fox was lifted out the milk. Every evil impulse had melted away from his body, heart and soul and was left as a black sludge at the bottom of the cauldron. Instead was left only the eager and innocent desire to please. The rabbit overturned the pot leaving the milk and sin to spill and drain all away. “Now come with me to bed my love.” The rabbit kissed the fox “You shall share it with me ever after.” Lord Alan swept the fox into his arms and carried John away to plow and seed into the new land he had brought. And John never again went into wickedness and was fruitful to the end of his days.