The Wolf and the Fox - Part Three

There was no one else in the courtyard and there was a well in the far side with two buckets suspended from a pole just as the fox had described it.

The Fox leaned over and looked into the well and she saw that there was very little water in the bottom. 

But the water was enough to reflect the big full moon, which was round and yellow. 

The Fox turned to the Wolf. “How lucky there's a lot of cheese about the size of a wheel down the well? Look, have you ever seen anything so beautiful?” 

The Wolf peered over the well and saw the reflection of the moon and thought that it was the cheese and his mouth glistened greedily. 

“Get inside the bucket,” the fox waved to the bucket, “Go down and eat to your full.” 

The Wolf shook its head with a sly grin. “So that is your game? No, you will go down in the bucket and you will get it up for me.” 

The fox had expected this reply and she shrugged. “Of course.” 

“But don't eat all the cheese yourself, or it will be worse for you.” The Wolf continued. 

The fox then climbed into the bucket, and she reached the bottom of the well and found that the water was just deep enough to cover her legs. She turned to the wolf above. “The cheese is larger and richer than I thought.” She said to the Wolf who was still above the well. 

“Bring it up,” the Wolf commanded her.  

I can’t!” The fox whined. “It weighs more than I do.” 

The wolf snarled. “If it is so heavy then bring it in two bits.” 

“I have no knife,” the fox told the wolf. “You will have to come down yourself, and we'll have to carry the cheese up between us. 

The wolf was confused for a few seconds. “How do I come down the well?” 

“You're so stupid! Get into the other bucket that is over your head.”

The wolf did as it was told.

The wolf was heavier than the fox and as the bucket with the wolf went down, the bucket with the fox came out of the well.

A second later the fox calmly jumped out of the bucket of the well which was on top and reached the parapet of the well and looked down from there.

The wolf had a sudden sickening feeling because he realized that the fox had fooled him into getting down the well.

Instead of being angry the wolf comforted himself saying that he at least had on the cheese inside the well. 

That was when the wolf looked around and so that there was no cheese, but instead it was the water which reflected the moon's light.

“You traitor!” The wolf cried howling with rage. 

However, the fox was not there to hear this. She had gone off to the neighboring house where she noticed some fat young chickens which she took as food for her children.

The fox reached her cave. “Probably I did treat the wolf a little badly. But it seems to get a little cloudy. There should be heavy rain, and the bucket may fill and sink to the bottom. And his bucket will go up and there is a chance he may escape.”

With those thoughts the fox entered its cave.

Adapted from Basque Folk Tales

The Wolf and the Fox - Part Two

"Come on and lead the way." The Wolf told the Fox finally. Suddenly the wolf looked threateningly at the fox. “If however, I find that you try to escape or play any trick on me. I should warn you that I am faster than you." 

The fox did not reply.

Everything was silent in the village and not a light was to be seen. However, it was a full moon, and it shone brightly and clearly across the sky. 

The wolf and the fox went to the house, and that is when they stopped. There was the smell of delicious food from one of the houses. The sleeping dogs around the house also smelt it and they began to bark greedily.

"Do you think it is wise to go any further?" The wolf asked the fox in a whisper. 

The fox shook its head. "We wait while the dogs bark. Some of the humans may come out and see what is the matter." 

So she and the wolf curled up in the shadows just waiting.  About half an hour later the dogs grew tired of barking and they could no longer smell the food. 

After that, the wolf and the fox jumped up to go to the house.

As they were crossing a wall, the fox thought of a plan because she realized that she was lighter than the wolf. 

The fox tried to quicken her pace. 

Though the wolf was heavier, he could jump very well, and he was beside her in a matter of seconds. “Where are you going?” 

“Oh, nothing!” The fox said, and she was slightly unhappy that her plan had failed.

The wolf looked at the fox slyly, “I think you were about to jump on the other side of the wall and try to escape.” The Wolf smiled angrily at her. 

However the fox stepped back. Wolf, be very careful or I will scream.” 

That was when the wolf backtracked because the Wolf understood that if the fox carried out her threat, then both of them would be cornered by the animals of the village. 

After that, they crouched and walked towards the courtyard with the well.

Adapted from Basque Folk tales

The Wolf and the Fox - Part One

A long time ago at the foot of some high mountains, there was a small village. In the village, two roads met, one of the roads went to the east, and the other went to the west.

Once at midnight on a full moon a great wolf came to the village.

 

The wolf had been surviving the past week on scraps, and it was determined to get a full-fledged meal tonight. In fact the wolf did not want any meal, it wanted to eat a particular fox that it had seen in this area not so long ago.

In fact, the very fox that the wolf was thinking about was roaming in the village at that particular time. 

The Fox was looking for food for its babies who were back in its caves. 

As the fox was looking around the village both the animals met each other.

The wolf's eyes glistened greedily as it looked at the fox, and the fox realized that the wolf was about to eat it. However the fox pretended not to understand anything.

When the wolf crouched to pounce upon the fox, the fox stepped back in bewilderment. "What are you doing?"

"I am going to eat you!" The wolf snarled angrily.

The fox told itself not to panic. The fox shook its head never taking its eyes off the wolf. "I am too small and I will not be able to satisfy your hunger."

"It does not matter," the wolf said. "I am hungry and I shall start with you."

The fox immediately changed tactics. "Have you no pity for a poor mother?"

The wolf smiled slyly at the Fox. "I'm dying of hunger and charity begins at home."

The Fox slowly nodded to itself. “Your request seems reasonable.” However, the Fox immediately studied the Wolf. “If I am to sacrifice myself will you give me a last wish?” 

The Wolf snarled again. “Be quick and tell me what you want. Because I cannot waste my time any more.” 

The fox pointed straight ahead. “In this village, there is a rich man who makes enough cheese in the summer to last for the whole year. He keeps the cheese in an old well which is now dry. There are two buckets on top of the well that the farmer used to draw up water. I have tried to bring that cheese to my children for many days now. But I have not yet succeeded. Will you help me take all the cheese to my children? After I have fed myself and my children, you can kill me and make a good meal for yourself."

Adapted from Basque Folk Tales