The Fox and the Goat
Beginner · ≈ 6 min story · 3 min read
A thirsty fox leaps into a deep well before checking how he will climb out. When a friendly goat peers over the edge, he tells her the water is the sweetest in the forest, and she jumps in without stopping to think.
Once upon a time, on a bright summer afternoon, a clever fox wandered through a peaceful forest.
The sun shone high above, warming the trees, the flowers, and the winding forest paths.
After walking for a long time, the fox became terribly thirsty.
"My throat feels so dry," he sighed.
He searched behind bushes, peeked beneath shady trees, and sniffed the fresh air.
Then suddenly his eyes sparkled.
"Aha! There it is!"
Hidden among the tall grass was a deep old stone well.
Without thinking twice, the thirsty fox jumped straight in.
Splash!
The water was cool, clear and refreshing. The fox drank happily.
He drank, and drank, until his tummy felt completely full.
"Ahhh. That was wonderful."
But when he looked up, his smile disappeared.
The walls of the well were steep and slippery.
He tried to climb. Slip!
He tried again. Slip!
Again and again, he fell back into the water.
"Oh no! I'm trapped!" the fox cried.
He shouted as loudly as he could. "Help! Can somebody help me?"
The hours slowly passed. The warm afternoon became a cool evening.
Soon the stars appeared in the sky.
The lonely fox curled up inside the damp well.
"I may never get out," he whispered sadly.
The next morning the fox heard gentle footsteps.
Clip, clop. Clip, clop.
A friendly goat was walking through the forest. She heard someone calling for help.
She carefully peeked over the edge of the well.
"Hello, Mr. Fox! What are you doing down there? Can I help you?"
The fox looked up. His clever mind began working very quickly.
Instead of telling the truth, the fox put on his biggest smile.
"My dear Goat," he said sweetly, "I came down here because this is the most delicious water in the whole forest."
"It is cool, fresh, and sweeter than anything I have ever tasted. You should come down and have a drink too."
The goat's eyes grew wide. "Really? That sounds wonderful!"
Without stopping to think, she happily jumped into the well.
Splash!
She drank until her thirst was gone. Then she looked around.
"Oh dear. How will we get out?"
The fox smiled to himself.
"I have an idea," he said. "You stand up on your strong hind legs. I'll climb onto your back, jump out of the well, and then I'll help pull you out."
The kind-hearted goat trusted him completely. "All right."
She stood as tall as she could.
The fox quickly climbed onto her back, balanced on her horns, and leaped out of the well.
At last, he was free.
The goat looked up happily. "Mr. Fox! I'm ready! Please help me out now!"
But the fox simply brushed the dust from his tail, turned around, and started walking away.
"Wait!" the goat cried. "You promised to help me!"
The fox looked back for just a moment.
"My friend," he replied, "if you had stopped to think before jumping into the well, you would have noticed there wasn't any safe way to climb back out."
With that, the fox disappeared into the forest, leaving the goat behind.
Children, it is wonderful to be kind. It is wonderful to trust others.
But it is also important to think carefully before making big decisions.
Before you follow someone, ask questions. Before you leap, look where you are going.
Soon the gentle breeze rustled through the trees. The birds sang softly, and the forest became peaceful once again.
Wise choices today can save you from difficult problems tomorrow.
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