The Man, the Bear, and the Fox

A man was plowing his field when a bear came to him and said:

"Man, I’m going to break you!"

"No, don’t bother me; I’m sowing turnips. I’ll take the roots for myself and give you the tops."

"Let it be so," said the bear. "But if you deceive me, don’t you dare come to the forest for firewood!"

With that, the bear went back into the woods.

When the time came, the man was digging up the turnips, and the bear emerged from the forest:

"Well, man, let’s divide the harvest!"

"Alright, bear! I’ll bring you the tops," and he brought the bear a cartload of turnip greens.

The bear was satisfied with the fair division. The man loaded his turnips onto the cart and headed to town to sell them. On the way, he met the bear:

"Man, where are you going?"

"I’m going to town to sell the roots, little bear."

"Let me try one of those roots!" The man gave him a turnip. The bear ate it and roared:

"Ah! You deceived me, man! Your roots are sweet. Now don’t you dare come to the forest for firewood, or I’ll tear you apart!"

The man returned from town and was afraid to go into the forest. He burned his shelves, benches, and barrels, but finally, he had no choice—he had to go to the forest for firewood.

He entered the forest quietly, and suddenly, a fox appeared.

"Why are you creeping along so quietly, little man?" she asked.

"I’m afraid of the bear. He’s angry with me and promised to tear me apart."

"Don’t worry about the bear. Chop your firewood, and I’ll make some noise. If the bear asks, 'What’s that noise?' tell him, 'They’re catching wolves and bears.'"

The man started chopping wood, and sure enough, the bear came running and shouted:

"Hey, old man! What’s all that noise?"

The man replied, "They’re catching wolves and bears."

"Oh, little man, put me in your sleigh, cover me with firewood, and tie me up with a rope. Maybe they’ll think I’m just a log."

The man put the bear in the sleigh, tied him up with rope, and started hitting him on the head with an axe until the bear was dead.

The fox came running and asked:

"Where’s the bear?"

"Here, he’s dead!"

"Well then, little man, now you must treat me."

"Of course, little fox! Come with me, and I’ll treat you." The man rode home, and the fox ran ahead. As the man approached his house, he whistled for his dogs and set them on the fox.

The fox dashed toward the forest and slipped into a hole. Once inside, she asked:

"Oh, my little eyes, what were you doing while I was running?"

"Oh, little fox, we were watching so you wouldn’t trip."

"And you, my ears, what were you doing?"

"We were listening to how close the dogs were."

"And you, my tail, what were you doing?"

"I," said the tail, "was flopping around under your feet, trying to trip you up so you’d fall and end up in the dogs’ jaws."

"Ah, you rascal! Then let the dogs eat you!" And the fox stuck her tail out of the hole and shouted:

"Eat the fox’s tail, dogs!"

The dogs grabbed the tail and dragged the fox out.

So it often happens: because of the tail, the head is lost too.

↑ To the top

The Man, the Bear, and the Fox

More fairy tales