The Wolf and the Fox

Deep in the ancient forest, there lived a powerful wolf who ruled over a large territory. He was strong, fierce, and accustomed to getting his way in all things. One autumn day, as he was patrolling his domain, he came across a clever red fox who was trying to catch fish in a clear stream.

“You there, fox!” growled the wolf in his commanding voice. “This stream is in my territory. By what right do you fish in my waters?”

The fox looked up calmly, his intelligent eyes meeting the wolf’s fierce gaze. “Good day to you, mighty wolf. I was merely trying to catch a small meal. I meant no offense.”

The wolf circled the fox slowly, his lips pulled back to show his impressive fangs. “Offense or not, you have trespassed on my land. The penalty for this is death—unless…”

“Unless what?” asked the fox, though his tone remained remarkably composed for someone facing such a threat.

“Unless you agree to serve me as my personal servant,” declared the wolf. “I could use someone clever to help me with various tasks. Serve me faithfully, and I will spare your life.”

The fox considered this for a moment. He was indeed clever, and he knew that a direct confrontation with the much larger wolf would end badly for him. “Very well,” he said finally. “I agree to serve you, provided you treat me fairly.”

“Excellent!” said the wolf with satisfaction. “Your first task will be to find me something delicious for dinner. I am tired of catching my own food.”

And so began the fox’s service to the wolf. Each day, the wolf would demand that the fox bring him something to eat, and each day the fox would venture out into the forest to find suitable prey.

At first, the fox brought the wolf rabbits and birds that he caught with his quick wit and nimble paws. The wolf was pleased with these meals and grew lazy, expecting the fox to provide for all his needs.

“This is wonderful,” the wolf would say, licking his chops after each meal. “I should have gotten myself a servant long ago. Tomorrow, bring me something even better.”

As the days passed, the wolf’s demands became more and more unreasonable. “Today I want something really special,” he announced one morning. “Bring me a fat sheep from the farmer’s flock.”

The fox’s ears twitched with concern. “But master, stealing from the farmer is very dangerous. His dogs are fierce, and he carries a gun.”

“Are you questioning my orders?” snarled the wolf. “You agreed to serve me. Now do as I command!”

Reluctantly, the fox set off toward the nearby farm. But instead of attempting to steal a sheep, he went to the farmhouse and scratched at the door until the farmer appeared.

“What’s this?” said the farmer, seeing the fox sitting politely on his doorstep. “A fox, acting tame as a house cat?”

The fox looked up at the farmer with his most appealing expression and wagged his tail in a friendly manner. The farmer, who was a kind man, was charmed by the fox’s unusual behavior.

“You seem almost like you’re trying to tell me something,” the farmer mused. “Are you hungry, little fellow?”

The fox nodded vigorously, and the farmer laughed in amazement. “Well, I’ve never seen anything like this! Wait here.”

The farmer went inside and returned with some scraps of meat and bread. The fox ate gratefully, then ran a short distance toward the forest before stopping and looking back at the farmer expectantly.

“Do you want me to follow you?” asked the farmer, his curiosity aroused.

The fox nodded again and began trotting toward the forest, pausing frequently to make sure the farmer was following. This continued until they reached a clearing where the wolf was waiting impatiently.

“Fox!” roared the wolf when he saw his servant approaching. “Where is my sheep? And what is that man doing with you?”

The farmer, seeing the large wolf, immediately understood the situation. “So that’s it!” he exclaimed. “This clever fox was leading me to you, wasn’t he? You’ve been forcing him to steal for you!”

The wolf, caught completely off guard, could only stammer, “I… that is… he’s my servant!”

“Not anymore,” said the farmer firmly, raising his rifle. “Run along, little fox. You’re free now.”

The fox needed no further encouragement. He dashed into the underbrush and disappeared, while the wolf, faced with an armed farmer, turned tail and fled as well.

But the story doesn’t end there. The fox, now free but mindful that the wolf might seek revenge, decided he needed to ensure his safety permanently. He knew that the wolf was not very bright, and he began to formulate a plan.

A few days later, the fox approached the wolf’s den, calling out in a respectful voice. “Master wolf! I have returned!”

The wolf emerged, suspicious and angry. “You betrayed me to that farmer! Why should I not kill you where you stand?”

“Because I have something wonderful to offer you,” replied the fox smoothly. “I know where the farmer keeps his fattest pig. It’s much better than any sheep, and I can show you exactly how to get it.”

The wolf’s anger began to fade as his greed took over. “A fat pig? Tell me more.”

“The farmer has built a new pen behind his barn,” the fox explained. “Every evening, he puts his prize pig there for the night. The pen is strong, but I know a secret way to get inside.”

The wolf’s mouth began to water. “Show me this pen!”

That evening, the fox led the wolf to the farmer’s property. Sure enough, there was a new pen behind the barn, and inside was indeed a very fat pig, snoring contentedly.

“There!” whispered the fox. “All you have to do is climb over the fence, grab the pig, and climb back out.”

The wolf, seeing his mouth-watering dinner so close, didn’t stop to think about why this seemed so easy. He climbed over the fence and dropped into the pen.

The moment his paws touched the ground, the fox called out loudly, “Farmer! Farmer! There’s a wolf in your pig pen!”

The wolf spun around in shock. “You’ve betrayed me again!”

“I’ve freed myself,” corrected the fox. “Forever this time.”

The farmer came running with his gun and his dogs. The wolf tried to leap back over the fence, but in his panic, he became tangled in the wire at the top and hung there helplessly as the farmer and his dogs surrounded the pen.

“Please!” howled the wolf. “Let me go, and I promise never to trouble you or your animals again!”

The farmer, who was not a cruel man, agreed to this bargain. “Very well, but if I ever see you on my property again, I won’t be so merciful.”

He cut the wolf free, and the humiliated creature slunk away into the forest, nursing his wounds and his wounded pride.

From that day forward, the fox lived freely in the forest, no longer subject to anyone’s commands. Whenever other animals asked him how he had escaped from the powerful wolf’s service, he would smile and say, “Sometimes the best way to deal with a bully is to let them defeat themselves.”

The wolf, meanwhile, had learned a valuable lesson about the difference between demanding respect and earning it. He never again tried to force other animals to serve him, and he certainly never underestimated the cleverness of a fox.

Years later, when the fox was old and silver-haired, young animals would come to him for advice. He would always tell them, “Remember, strength is not everything. A sharp mind can be more powerful than sharp claws, and sometimes the smallest creature can outwit the largest if they think before they act.”

And the old fox would often add with a twinkle in his eye, “And never trust anyone who tries to make you their servant. True friendship is offered freely, never demanded.”

The forest creatures would nod wisely at these words, and many a young animal was saved from trouble by remembering the tale of the wolf and the fox, and how cleverness and courage can triumph over bullying and brute force.