........... Use the paragraph to answer the question.

However, the fox bid him be of good cheer, and said, "I will help you; lie down there, stretch yourself out quite stiff, and pretend to be dead." The horse did as he was told, and the fox went straight to the lion who lived in a cave close by, and said to him, "A little way off lies a dead horse; come with me and you may make an excellent meal of his carcass." The lion was greatly pleased, and set off immediately; and when they came to the horse, the fox said, "You will not be able to eat him comfortably here; I’ll tell you what—I will tie you fast to his tail, and then you can draw him to your den, and eat him at your leisure."

In three to five sentences, explain what inference can you draw from the text. Provide textual evidence to support your answer.

(4 points)

The fox in the text is cunning and clever, as evidenced by his plan to help the horse escape the lion. He suggests that the lion should be tied to the horse's tail so that the lion can drag the horse to his den and eat it at his leisure. This shows that the fox is willing to use his intelligence to help the horse out of a difficult situation. Additionally, the fox's plan implies that he is confident that the lion will not realize that the horse is still alive. This further demonstrates the fox's cleverness.