• The Donkey and the Wolf

    Aesop's Fables
    In a big, green field, where the grass was extra yummy, lived a donkey named Pip. Pip loved munching on clover and swishing his tail in the sunshine.

    One afternoon, while Pip was enjoying a particularly tasty patch of daisies, a shadow fell over him. Uh-oh. It was Wiley the Wolf, and Wiley looked very, very hungry.

    "Well, well, well," said Wiley, licking his lips. "What a delicious-looking donkey. You'll make a fine lunch!"

    Pip's ears drooped. He had to think fast! Suddenly, he had an idea. He started to limp, making a big show of it. "Ooooh! Owwww! My poor foot!" he cried.

    Wiley stopped, a little surprised. "What's wrong with your foot, donkey?"

    "Oh, Mr. Wolf," Pip wailed, "I've stepped on a huge, sharp thorn! It's stuck deep in my hoof. If you eat me now, that nasty thorn might get stuck in your throat, and that would be terribly painful for you!"

    Wiley frowned. He didn't like the sound of a thorn stuck in his throat. That would definitely spoil his lunch. "A thorn, you say? Hmm, that's no good. Let me have a look. I'm quite clever at getting things out."

    "Oh, would you, Mr. Wolf?" said Pip, trying not to smile. "That's very kind. It's in my back hoof. You'll need to look very closely."

    So, Wiley bent down and peered carefully at Pip's back hoof. Pip lifted his leg, aimed carefully, and then... WHAM! He gave Wiley a mighty kick right on his nose!

    "YOOOOOWWWWL!" howled Wiley, tumbling backwards, his eyes watering.

    While Wiley was seeing stars and rubbing his sore nose, Pip galloped away as fast as his four hooves could carry him, hee-hawing with glee.

    Wiley sat up, dazed. "Ouch, my nose!" he grumbled to himself. "I should stick to hunting. What was I thinking, trying to be a doctor?" And he limped off, still hungry, and a little bit wiser.

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