THE FOOLISH FOX

 

 

There was a pasture near the edge of a forest. Many shepherds of the nearby villages came there with their sheep. While all the flocks of sheep were grazing, the shepherd boys joined together and spent their time by playing games or chattering with each other.

There was a big old tree at the end of the pasture. It had a big hollow opening but the neck of the opening was narrow to get in. The shepherd boys put their lunch-packets in the hollow.

At noon time they would come and take the lunch packets and enjoyed their mid-day meals together. This became a routine.

 

One day a hungry fox happened to cross near the tree. He could easily smell the flavour of the lunch packets and in followed it to reach the hollow.

On seeing the food packets, without thinking the fox entered into the hollow without much difficulty.

The fox ate up all the contents of the lunch-packets. When he tried to come out of the hollow he couldn’t. Then only he noticed that his stomach has been puffed up on both sides. There is no other way for escape. Soon it became noon. The shepherds came there for their lunch-packets. They found the fox there and gave him a sound beating.

 

MORAL: EXCESS OF ANYTHING LEADS TO DISPUTE.