The Wolf and the Fox
Grimm's Fairy Tales
Deep in the woods, where the trees grow tall, lived a big, strong Wolf and a clever, quick Fox. The Wolf was much bigger and stronger, so he often told the Fox what to do. And the Fox, being smaller, usually had to listen.
One day, the Wolf grumbled, "Fox, I'm terribly hungry. Go find me something delicious to eat, or I might just eat you!"
The Fox, not wanting to become dinner, scampered off. Soon, he found a young lamb in a field. He cleverly caught it and brought it to the Wolf. The Wolf gobbled it down in a flash. "That was good," said the Wolf, licking his lips. "But it wasn't enough. I want another one!"
"Oh, Mr. Wolf," said the Fox, "I don't think I can catch another one so easily. The farmer will be watching now."
"Nonsense!" boomed the Wolf. "Take me to the field. I'll get one myself."
So, the Fox led the Wolf to the field. The Wolf, being greedy, charged in and started chasing the sheep. He ate so many that his belly became round and tight. Just then, the farmer appeared, shouting and waving a big stick. The Wolf tried to run, but he was so full he got stuck trying to squeeze through a hedge! The farmer gave him a good whack before he finally wiggled free. The Fox, who had been watching from a safe distance, chuckled, "See, Mr. Wolf? Sometimes too much is not a good thing!"
The Wolf was sore and still a bit hungry. A few days later, he said, "Fox, I'm hungry again! This time, I want some of those sweet, flat cakes humans make. Pancakes!"
The Fox sighed. "That's even trickier, Mr. Wolf. But I'll try." He crept to a farmhouse where a woman was baking pancakes. He managed to snatch a few from the windowsill and brought them to the Wolf.
The Wolf ate them quickly. "Delicious!" he declared. "But I want more! Lots more! Take me to the house."
"But Mr. Wolf," warned the Fox, "it's dangerous. The woman will catch you."
"I'm not afraid of any woman!" boasted the Wolf.
So, the Fox led him to the house. The Wolf squeezed through a small pantry window. He found a whole stack of pancakes and began to eat, and eat, and eat. He ate so many pancakes that his belly swelled up even bigger than before. When he tried to get out the window, he was stuck! The woman heard the noise, came in with her rolling pin, and started whacking the Wolf. Thwack! Thump! The Wolf howled as he finally, painfully, squeezed back out, covered in bumps.
The Fox, hiding nearby, called out, "Oh dear, Mr. Wolf! It seems pancakes can be quite troublesome too!"
The Wolf was very angry and very sore. He limped away, muttering about how he would get back at the Fox. But the Fox was already planning his next clever move. One day, the Wolf, still cross, found the Fox near an old well.
"Fox!" growled the Wolf. "You've tricked me twice! Now you'll pay!"
The Fox looked down the well with wide, innocent eyes. "Oh, Mr. Wolf, you're just in time! Look down there! I've found the most wonderful thing – a huge, round, tasty cheese floating in the water!"
The Wolf peered into the well. Sure enough, he saw a big, round, yellowish shape in the water (it was really the reflection of the moon).
"It does look like a cheese!" said the Wolf, his tummy rumbling. "How do we get it?"
"Easy!" said the Fox. "Just jump in! It's not too deep, and the cheese is right there."
The Wolf, forgetting all his past troubles in his greed for the cheese, took a big leap and jumped into the well with a loud SPLASH!
He paddled around, but all he found was cold water. "Fox!" he spluttered. "There's no cheese here! It's just water, and I can't get out!"
The clever Fox grinned from the top of the well. "Well, Mr. Wolf," he said, "perhaps you'll have some time to think about being so greedy while you're down there. Maybe someone will come along with a bucket eventually!"
And with a flick of his bushy tail, the Fox trotted off into the woods, finally free from the bossy, greedy Wolf.
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