How the Fox Learned to Fly

The crane met the fox:

- "So, fox, do you know how to fly?"
- "No, I don't."
- "Hop on my back, I'll teach you."

The fox climbed onto the crane's back. The crane carried her high, very high.

- "Well, fox, can you see the ground?"
- "Barely: the ground looks as small as a sheepskin!"

The crane shook her off. The fox fell onto a soft spot, a haystack.

The crane flew down:
- "So, fox, do you know how to fly now?"
- "Flying is easy—landing is hard!"
- "Hop on my back again, I'll teach you."

The fox climbed onto the crane's back again. This time, he carried her even higher and shook her off. The fox fell into a swamp: she sank three fathoms deep into the ground. And so, the fox never learned to fly.

More fairy tales

• Masha and the Bear
• Morozko ("Father Frost")
• Night Dances
• The Tale of the Rejuvenating Apples and the Living Water
• Baba Yaga