The Cunning Rooster

The cunning rooster spread his wings, jumped onto the fence, and began crowing at the top of his lungs. From a nearby grove, a fox came running out.

"Good day!" she called. "I heard you crowing, so I came running. My, how well you sing! I just don’t know if you can sing like your father used to."

"And how did my father sing?" asked the rooster.

"He would jump onto the fence and stand on one leg, tucking the other one under him. He’d close one eye and crow. Now that was a real singer!"

"I can do that too!" said the rooster.

He tucked one leg under him, closed one eye, and began to crow.

"But can you stand on one leg, close both eyes, and still sing?" asked the fox.

"I can!" shouted the rooster.

But before he could close both eyes, the fox pounced and—snatched the rooster! She carried him off into the forest, pinned him down with her paws, and was about to eat him.

"Ah," sighed the rooster, "there was a time when your mother didn’t do it like this."

"And how did she do it?" asked the fox.

"Your mother had a custom: whenever she caught a rooster, before eating him, she would say a prayer. She was a devout fox, very pious."

The fox thought and thought, then decided: "I must pray too." She folded her front paws, closed her eyes, and began to whisper a prayer. And the rooster was waiting for just that. As soon as the fox moved her paws, he flapped his wings—and flew up onto the nearest tree!

"May thunder strike you!" screeched the fox. "You’ve outsmarted me, a fox!"

And, still hungry, she trudged back home.

More fairy tales

• Three Pieces of Advice Worth More Than Money
• The Youth with a Star on His Forehead
• He who does not work, does not eat
• The Wet One Isn't Afraid of the Rain
• Rezan the Half-Cut