Thereby Hangs A Tail

This is a fur muff, probably made for warming the hands of stylish women, before World War Two. I noticed it in an antique shop in Patchogue, Long Island. The front of it is decorated with about eighty tails, all alike. the tag offers it for a hundred dollars.

I have no idea what species the scores of unfortunate creatures belonged to, but still I don't much care for this use of their tails. I've never been especially anti-fur, but this seems to add insult to injury.

'Tis but an hour ago since it was nine,
And after one hour more 'twill be eleven;
And so, from hour to hour, we ripe and ripe,
And then, from hour to hour, we rot and rot;
And thereby hangs a tale.'
------from Shakespeare's As You Like It