Have you ever heard of a musician who was a little bit lonely? Well, this one was. He had a wonderful fiddle, and he could play the sweetest tunes, but he thought, "It would be much nicer to have a friend to listen!"

So, one sunny morning, he packed his fiddle and went into the big, green forest. "I'll play my best song," he thought, "and maybe someone will come!"

He sat on a mossy log and began to play. His music danced through the trees. Soon, rustle, rustle, through the bushes came a big, grey wolf.
"Oh, Mr. Musician," said the wolf, its eyes wide, "your music is so lovely! I'd love to learn to play like that."
The musician, who was a bit of a trickster, smiled. "That's easy! Just put your front paws into this hollow in this old tree, and I'll show you how to hold them."
The wolf, eager to learn, did just that. Quick as a wink, the musician picked up a big stone and wedged it into the hollow, trapping the wolf's paws! "You wait there and practice being still," he chuckled, and walked off, playing his fiddle.

He played another tune, even livelier this time. Swish, swish, out from behind a fern came a sly red fox.
"Goodness me, Mr. Musician!" said the fox, its ears twitching. "What beautiful music! Could you teach me?"
"Of course!" said the musician. "See these two young trees growing close together? If you put one front paw by each, I can show you how to stretch just right for playing."
The fox, thinking this sounded very important, placed its paws as told. The musician quickly bent the young trees down and tied the fox's front paws to them with strong vines. When he let go, snap! The trees sprang back up, and there was the fox, dangling with its paws tied. "Just hang there and think about rhythm!" said the musician, and off he went, his fiddle singing.

He played his sweetest, softest melody next. Hop, hop, a little brown hare appeared, its nose wiggling.
"Oh, sir!" squeaked the hare. "That's the prettiest sound I've ever heard! Can I learn too?"
"Why, certainly, little one," said the musician. "But first, we need to practice keeping time. I have a long string here. If I tie one end around your neck and the other to this sturdy bush, you can hop in circles to the beat!"
The little hare thought this sounded like fun. So the musician tied the string. "Now hop twenty times around the bush!" he said, and walked away, still playing.

But the musician hadn't gone too far when he heard a loud HOWL! The wolf had struggled and pulled and finally managed to yank its paws free from the tree.
Then he heard a sharp YELP! The fox had gnawed and chewed through the vines with its sharp teeth.
And then a tiny, angry SQUEAK! The hare had nibbled and nibbled through its string.

All three animals, very cross indeed, came rushing after the musician! "Wait for us!" they shouted. "We have a few things to discuss!"
The musician heard them and, oh dear, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He saw a little cottage with smoke curling from the chimney. A woodcutter lived there.
"Help! Help!" cried the musician, dashing inside just as the wolf, the fox, and the hare arrived at the door.
The woodcutter, a kind and strong man, saw the frightened musician and then the angry animals. He grabbed his axe.
"Be off with you!" he shouted at the animals, waving his axe just a little. "Leave this good man alone!"
The wolf, the fox, and the hare took one look at the big axe and the determined woodcutter. Suddenly, they didn't feel quite so angry anymore. They turned and scampered back into the forest as fast as they could.

The musician, safe at last, was very grateful. "Thank you, kind woodcutter," he said, catching his breath. "You saved me! Let me play you a tune as thanks."
And so, he took out his fiddle and played the most beautiful, joyful music the woodcutter had ever heard. And this time, the musician was very happy to have just one good, kind listener.

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