The weasels and the mice waged a perpetual war with each other,in which much blood was shed. The weasels were always thevictors. The mice thought that the cause of their frequentdefeats was that they had no leaders set apart from the generalarmy to command them, and that they were exposed to dangers fromlack of discipline. They therefore chose as leaders mice thatwere most renowned1 for their family descent, strength, andcounsel, as well as those most noted2 for their courage in thefight, so that they might be better marshaled in battle array andformed into troops, regiments3, and battalions4. When all this wasdone, and the army disciplined, and the herald5 mouse had dulyproclaimed war by challenging the weasels, the newly chosengenerals bound their heads with straws, that they might be moreconspicuous to all their troops. Scarcely had the battle begun,when a great rout6 overwhelmed the mice, who scampered7 off as fastas they could to their holes. The generals, not being able toget in on account of the ornaments8 on their heads, were allcaptured and eaten by the weasels. 
The more honor the more danger. 