A lion, a fox and some other animals were about to set sail. The donkey was collecting the tickets for the trip, saying, “Pay me.”

The fox asked, “How dare you! You know that the King of Beasts is traveling with us, yet you dare to charge us?”

The donkey replied, “I will collect the money for the trip, even from the king, and then will deposit it in his treasury.”

The lion said, “Bring the ship closer.” He then went and attacked the donkey, killing him. He handed the donkey over to the fox and ordered, “Prepare the parts of this fool for me to eat.”

When the fox was preparing the parts, he found the heart and ate it. When the lion returned, he asked, “Where is this fool’s heart?”

The fox replied, “Your Majesty! This fool had no heart. (The heart was assumed to be the seat of all understanding.) If he had had one, he wouldn’t have charged Your Majesty for the trip.”

--Yalkut Vaera 182

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