A clever Fox was strolling through the forest one fine day, feeling very pleased with himself. He spotted a Cat, sitting calmly by the path, washing her whiskers.

"Well, hello there, little Cat," said the Fox, puffing out his chest. "What are you doing all alone in these big woods?"

"Just enjoying the sunshine, Mr. Fox," replied the Cat politely.

"You know," the Fox began, twirling his bushy tail, "I am a very, very smart animal. I know so many tricks! If danger comes, I have a hundred ways to escape. Yes, a hundred! Maybe even more! I can run fast, I can hide in bushes, I can dig holes, I can even pretend to be a log!" He winked.

"Oh my," said the Cat, looking impressed. "That's very clever, Mr. Fox. I only know one trick."

"Only one?" scoffed the Fox, his nose in the air. "What good is just one trick? What is it, if I may ask?"

"Well," said the Cat, "if dogs are chasing me, I can climb a tree very, very quickly. That's my trick."

"Climb a tree? Ha!" The Fox laughed. "That's it? My dear Cat, you need more than that in this dangerous world. You should learn from me! I could teach you a thing or two... or a hundred!"

Just then, they heard a sound. Woof! Woof! Bark! Bark!
A hunter with four big, fast dogs was coming their way, and they were coming fast!

"Oh dear!" cried the Cat. And *zip*! In a flash, she scrambled up the tallest tree nearby. She sat on a high branch, looking down, her tail twitching.

The Fox started to panic. "Which trick should I use?" he thought, his eyes darting around. "Should I run? Should I hide? Should I dig? Should I pretend to be that log?" He thought about his hundred tricks, but he couldn't decide which one was best for this moment. He was so busy trying to choose, he didn't move at all.

Before he could pick a trick, the dogs were upon him! They barked and snapped, and the poor Fox, with all his clever tricks, couldn't get away.

From her safe spot in the tree, the Cat watched. "Oh, Mr. Fox," she called down softly, though not too loudly for the dogs to hear. "It seems my one little trick was quite useful after all. If only you could climb a tree like me!"

And the Fox, well, he really wished he had learned that one simple trick too.

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