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Beware of the Enemy's Tricks A group of young chickens lived together on a farm in the countryside. Among them lived a very wise rooster. All the birds looked up to this rooster. Every time the wise rooster saw the chickens, he would tell them to share their experiences with each other and use the advice they receive so the they wouldn't fall for the fox's tricks. One day, the rooster found himself alone and decided to go and take a walk out in the fields. It was the season of spring and the trees were all full of beautiful blossoms. The flowers had filled the spring air with their fresh fragrance. The rooster was overwhelmed by the beauty of his surroundings, and he opened his mouth and began to sing a beautiful song. The fox, who was resting in his house near the area, heard the rooster's voice and ran toward him to hunt him down. When the rooster saw the fox running toward him, he quickly climbed up the tree and perched himself on a high branch. The fox saw the rooster hiding in the tree and in a surprised voice asked, "Hey rooster, why have to climbed up on the tree branch? Are you frightened of me? You and I have no hate between us. When I heard your voice, I enjoyed it and I came to see you. Look at how beautiful the weather is and how green the fields are. I would like it very much if we could take a walk together in this beautiful weather and for you to sing to me in your beautiful voice." The rooster, who had known that the fox's words were just a trick, said, "Yes! The weather is magnificent and the fields are wonderfully green and my voice is also very beautiful. But I don't know you and I recall that usually roosters and fox's do not befriend each other." The fox said, "Interesting, that you don't know me. I am very close friends with your father and he is a very good man. As a matter of fact, yesterday I was with your father and he spoke of your intelligence and wisdom. When we said our good byes, he asked me to look out for you in the fields and the wilderness so that no harm comes to you." The rooster answered, "'Til this moment, my father has never mentioned you. My father passed away last year." The fox replied, "Pardon me, I meant your mother. Yesterday, it was your mother I ran into and she told me to never leave you alone. Anyway, I am acquainted with your whole family. I don't know who has spoken ill of me to you. You still cannot recognize your friends from your foes." The rooster said, "I have heard nothing about you. But I know this much, foxes and roosters are not suppose to befriend each other. Since the fox is the enemy of the rooster, if the rooster is smart then he should not offer his friendship to the enemy." The fox asked, "Who is the enemy? You are not aware that the lion has ordered all the animals to be friends and not to bother each other. Therefore, the wolf and the sheep are friends, the dog doesn't mess with the fox, the chicken rides on the back of the coyote all over the fields. I am in awe that you are not aware of any of it." When the fox was saying these words, the rooster turned his head and raised himself as if he was looking at something far away that was quickly approaching them. The fox asked him where he was looking and why he was not listening to him. The rooster replied, "I see an animal that is coming towards us. I don't know what it is. But it is bigger than a fox, it has huge flat ears, and is hurrying over toward us." When the fox heard the rooster's description of the animal, he stopped talking to the rooster and ceased his trickery. Looking very desperate, he packed up and started to leave. The rooster saw that the fox was very excited and frightened and asked, "Where are you going? Wait until we see what it is. It might be another fox." The fox replied, "No thank you, from your description it seems that it is a hunting dog and we don't have a very pleasant relationship with each other." The rooster asked, "But you just told me that there are no enemies among the animals and we are all friends." As the fox was running away he answered, "Yes, that is true but I am afraid that the dog, like yourself, has not heard the lions orders!" The wise rooster laughed at the cunning fox and began to climb down the tree. He started toward his farm to share the story of the foxes deceit and trickery with his fellow chickens. |
