a case for patience...

"a half-starved fox, who saw in the hollow of an oak tree some bread and meat left there by shepherds, crept in and ate it. with his stomach distended he could not get out again. another fox, passing by and hearing his cries and lamentations, came up and asked what was the matter. on being told, he said: 'well, stay in there till you are thin as you were when you went in; then you'll get out quite easily.'
this tale shows us how time solves difficult problems."

from: fables of aesop,
translated by s.a. handford,
illustrations by brian robb,
penguin classics, 1954