The Boastful Rooster

In a peaceful village surrounded by green fields and tall trees, there lived a rooster named Rocco. Rocco was not an ordinary rooster—he had the brightest feathers, the loudest crow, and the proudest strut. But Rocco had one big flaw: he loved to brag.

Every morning, as the sun rose, Rocco would flap his wings, puff out his chest, and crow, "Cock-a-doodle-doo! I am the greatest rooster in the world! No one is as strong, as handsome, or as clever as I am!"

The other animals on the farm grew tired of his boasting. The hens rolled their eyes, the old donkey snorted in annoyance, and even the wise old owl shook his head in disapproval. But Rocco didn’t care. He believed he was truly the best.

One day, a sly fox named Felix heard Rocco’s loud crowing from the edge of the forest. Felix licked his lips and thought, "What a fine, plump rooster! If only I could catch him..."

Felix was clever and knew that Rocco’s pride could be his weakness. So, he hatched a plan.

The Fox’s Flattery

The next morning, as Rocco strutted near the fence, Felix approached with a friendly smile.

"Good morning, magnificent Rocco!" Felix called. "I have heard so much about you. They say your crow is louder than thunder and your feathers shine brighter than gold!"

Rocco puffed up with pride. "Of course! Everyone knows I am the finest rooster in the land!"

Felix grinned. "I don’t doubt it! But…" He pretended to hesitate.

"But what?" Rocco demanded.

"Well," Felix said slyly, "some animals in the forest say you cannot fly as high as the other birds. They say a rooster like you should be able to soar above the trees!"

Rocco’s pride was wounded. "That’s nonsense! I can fly higher than any bird! Watch this!"

Without thinking, Rocco flapped his wings and leaped onto the fence. Then, with a mighty effort, he jumped again—higher, higher—until he was perched on the branch of a tall tree.

"Ha!" Rocco crowed. "See how high I can fly? No one can match me!"

Felix clapped his paws. "Amazing! Truly, you are the king of all birds! But… can you fly even higher?"

Blinded by his own arrogance, Rocco didn’t notice Felix’s hungry gaze. "Of course I can!" he declared. He flapped harder, rising above the trees.

But roosters are not meant to fly so high. Soon, Rocco grew tired. His wings ached, and he wobbled in the air.

The Trap is Sprung

Just as Rocco began to descend, Felix positioned himself beneath him. "Oh no, brave Rocco! You’re falling! Let me catch you!"

Too late, Rocco realized his mistake. He tumbled straight into Felix’s waiting claws.

"Got you!" the fox cackled. "All that bragging made you careless!"

Terrified, Rocco squawked and flapped, but Felix held him tightly. "Now, you’ll make a fine meal!"

The Rescue

Luckily, the old donkey had seen everything. He brayed loudly, "HEEE-HAWWW! THE FOX HAS ROCCO!"

The farmer’s dog, Bruno, came running, barking fiercely. The hens screeched, and the other animals made such a noise that Felix panicked. He dropped Rocco and fled into the forest.

Shaken and humbled, Rocco lay on the ground, his feathers ruffled. Bruno helped him up. "That was a close one, Rocco. Maybe now you’ll learn."

The Lesson Learned

From that day on, Rocco never bragged again. He still crowed at sunrise, but now his words were simple: "Cock-a-doodle-doo! A new day is here!"

The other animals noticed the change. The hens no longer avoided him, the donkey gave a nod of approval, and even the wise old owl said, "Pride is good, but arrogance leads to downfall."

Rocco had learned the hard way: Bragging invites trouble.

Moral of the Story

Pride in oneself is good, but excessive boasting can lead to danger. Those who brag too much often fail to see the risks around them, making them easy targets for trouble.

And so, Rocco lived a wiser and quieter life, remembering that true greatness doesn’t need to be announced—it is seen in actions, not words.

The End.