"Believe me," the snake said, "when push comes to shove you can always be 
sure that an animal will vote for his 

own species:  a rat will always vote for a rat, a skunk for a skunk, an 
eagle for an eagle, and so on.  That's just the way it is "

"But I'm the only ass in this forest," the ass said.

"Yes, but you can always make the other animals think that you consider 
them like your own 

kind.  Just remember:  whenever you're talking to a group of animals, 
make them think you 

regard them as the most important animals in the forest, in fact the best 
animals in the whole 

world!  Just tell them what a great contribution they've made to this 
forest and how all the other 

animals ought to be happy they're here--even though the odds are that 
most of the other animals 

really can't stand them.  Compliment them, flatter them, tell them how 
important they are; in 

short, make them believe you really, really like them and that all the 
other animals ought to do 

the same."

"Do you think they'd believe me?" the ass asked, skeptical.

"Oh, they'll believe you all right," the snake said.  "If there's one 
thing I know for sure about the 

animals in this forest it's that each species always thinks it's the 
best, even when it's really the 

worst.  They'll go for any candidate they think is on their side."


THE POLITY OF BEASTS

The most politically incorrect book of its time.