While girls trained primarily to become efficient "baby factories" (Brand, n.d., p.7), boys began a harsh training known as " agoge". The aim was to train the boys to resist adverse weather conditions, lack of food and to train their stealth skills. Each year only one coat was given to wear during the season. Food was given to them practically minimal, so they constantly lived in a state of malnutrition. According to Brand, to survive they were encouraged to steal food but if they were caught a severe punishment was applied, not for stealing, but for being found (nd, p.6). Such acts gave rise to stories told to children. One of those stories was about the Spartan boy who captured a live fox. In order not to be exposed to the passing soldier he hid it under his coat allowing the fox to bite his stomach and showed no sign of pain in his body or face ("The Spartan Family”,