A Fox one day visited the home of the Badgers, a beautiful place of clean waters and green hills.
“Have you heard the wonderful news?” cried the Fox in an excited manner. “ I will give you a $10 billion factory so thousands of you can work for me!”
The Badgers’ mouths watered.
Fox helpfully explained the deal. “All you have to do is give me $3 billion in $200 million cash payments,” he said.
"Wait,” said the puzzled Badgers. "Why do you come to us with your paws out?"
The Fox replied craftily, “Because if you don’t give me the money, I will build my factory somewhere else.”
The Badgers raised their eyebrows.
“There’s more to my deal. You can build sewer lines, streets and other infrastructure for my factory,” said the Fox grandly, “and you can borrow $250 million from the Badger Bank to build a highway for me.”
The Badgers began to inch away from the Fox.
“Hold on,” smiled the Fox. “I will discharge dredged materials in your wetlands, change the course of your streams, build artificial bodies of water that connect with your natural waterways and build on your riverbed, too!”
“Your offer certainly takes our breath away,” said the Badgers. “But no thanks.”
They did not wait to hear more. Off they started on a run.
“Fools! Why do you run from a deal like this?” grumbled the Fox as he walked away scornfully to try his luck elsewhere.
The Moral: "Badgers are not easily tricked."
