The Cunning fox and the cleaver Stork

The Cunning Fox and the Clever Stork

Once upon a time, in a dense and vibrant forest, there lived a very cunning and mischievous fox. He was known among the animals for his deceptive nature. The fox had a habit of speaking sweetly to gain the trust of other creatures, only to later trick them for his own amusement. Despite his charming personality, many animals had fallen prey to his cunning tricks and had learned to stay cautious around him.

One bright morning, as the fox was wandering through the forest, he came across a stork. The stork was tall, graceful, and had a long, slender beak. The fox, sensing an opportunity to play yet another trick, decided to befriend the stork. With a warm smile and kind words, he engaged the stork in conversation, praising her elegant feathers and intelligence. The stork, being polite and good-natured, appreciated the fox’s kind words and soon began to trust him. Over time, they spent hours talking about life in the forest, and the fox pretended to be a genuine friend.

After a few days, the fox invited the stork for a feast at his house. He spoke highly of the delicious food he would prepare and assured her of a wonderful meal. The stork, delighted by the invitation, gladly accepted, looking forward to a pleasant evening with her new friend.

On the day of the feast, the stork arrived at the fox’s den with great enthusiasm. She imagined a grand meal and was eager to share a delightful experience with the fox. However, to her disappointment, the fox served only a thin soup. More surprisingly, he poured the soup into a wide, shallow bowl. The fox, with his short snout, licked up the soup easily, savoring every sip, while the stork struggled. Her long, pointed beak prevented her from drinking the soup from the shallow bowl. She could barely get a taste, while the fox devoured his portion with ease.

The fox, pretending to be concerned, asked, "Oh dear friend, is the soup not to your liking? Why are you not eating?"

The stork, though annoyed, did not want to express her disappointment openly. With a forced smile, she replied, "Oh, the soup is delicious, but I seem to have a slight stomach ache today. I can't eat much."

The fox, secretly pleased with his trick, smirked and said, "Oh, that is unfortunate. I hope you feel better soon."

The stork, being wise and patient, understood the fox’s mischief but chose not to react immediately. Instead, she politely thanked him for the meal and, before leaving, invited the fox for dinner at her home the next evening. The fox, feeling victorious in his trickery, accepted the invitation eagerly, expecting another opportunity to show off his cleverness.

The next evening, the fox arrived at the stork’s home, curious about what she had prepared. She welcomed him warmly and soon brought out two tall, narrow jars filled with delicious soup. The jars had long, slender necks, perfect for her beak but impossible for the fox’s short snout. The stork happily dipped her beak into the jar and sipped the soup with ease, while the fox struggled in vain. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get a single drop of the soup. He watched helplessly as the stork enjoyed her meal, just as he had done the previous night.

After finishing her soup, the stork looked at the fox with a smile and asked, "Oh dear friend, is the soup not to your liking? Why are you not eating?"

The fox, realizing his mistake and feeling deeply embarrassed, stammered, "I...I think I have a stomach ache. I'd better leave now."

With his head hanging in shame, the fox hurriedly left the stork’s house, learning a valuable lesson. He understood that tricking others for fun would only lead to humiliation in the end.

Moral: One bad turn begets another.