How the Cat Went with the Fox to Buy Boots
Once, a cat grew sad because winter was approaching, and he had no boots. He decided to go to the city to buy boots for himself and his wife. After walking a good part of the way, he met a fox.The fox said to him:
"Where are you going, Mr. Cat?"
The cat replied:
"I'm going to the city to buy boots. Winter is coming, and it's cold to walk barefoot."
The fox said:
"There's a good shoemaker here named Wolfie. Go and buy yourself some boots."
The fox walked ahead, and the cat followed him. The fox led the cat deep into the forest. The cat, being foolish, didn't know that foxes lived in the thickets—he was a country cat and had never been in the forest before.
Once they were deep in the forest, the fox said to the cat:
"Give me your money, or you're dead!"
The cat pleaded:
"Have mercy! I'll buy boots for you, your wife, and your children, just let me go alive."
They agreed and went together to the city to buy boots.
As they approached the city, the fox began to sneak around, telling the cat that he was too scared to go into the city itself. But the cat kept urging the fox to come along. They entered a narrow street, and the cat left the fox by the gate while he went to see if there were any ready-made boots. People spotted the fox on the path—they surrounded him, caught him, tore off his tail, and beat him up.
The fox broke free and ran home, not waiting for the boots. The cat returned but didn't find the fox—only a crowd of people in that spot. The cat went to the shop, bought boots for himself and his wife, and called his dog friend, Brisk, to escort him home so the fox wouldn't kill him.
Meanwhile, the fox came out with his wife and two eldest sons to kill the cat for making him return home without a tail. The cat saw the fox and said to Brisk:
"Look, he's already waiting for me!"
Brisk replied:
"Don't worry, wait here. I'll greet him now."
They approached each other, and the dog pounced on the fox, tearing him apart. The fox's eldest son tried to defend him, but the dog killed him too, and the others ran away.
Brisk was about to return home, but the cat invited him over as a guest to thank him for his help.
From then on, the cat lived freely and carefree. And if the foxes ever met Brisk in the forest, they were wary of him. As for the cat, he never crossed paths with the treacherous fox again.
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