Foxy fable
Question: A folk tale suggests that foxes get rid of fleas by swimming with a
mouthful of sheep’s wool taken from a hedgerow. The story goes that the fox
enters the water and the fleas quickly migrate to its head to stay above the
surface. The fox dips its head under the water, the fleas move onto the wool,
and the fox then releases the wool and swims ashore, minus fleas. Is there any
evidence to support this story?
Answer: This story dates back to the ancient Greek storyteller Aesop, if not
earlier. Such tales keep re-emerging and…
