The Hare and the Painted Gate, Again

The Hare escaped the Painted Gate and warned every creature who would listen.

When his warning was finished, he returned “only to see whether the Gate still deceived anyone.”

The Gate opened and said, “Welcome back. You are not like the others. You understand me.”

The Hare entered because praise seemed less dangerous now that he recognized it.

Beyond the Gate he found his old footprints beside many newer ones.

“Why return?” asked a Crow from the wall.

“To prove I could not be fooled twice,” said the Hare.

“Then the Gate needed only flatter your second wisdom,” said the Crow.