Aesop
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Greece

The Fox and The Hedgehog

Crafty Fox gets trapped, attracting mosquitoes; Hedgehog offers help, but Fox declines, knowing new hungry mosquitoes would come if the full ones were gone.
Adaptability
Patience
Wisdom
Aesop's Fables - The Fox and The Hedgehog
Audio available for B1 version

In the heart of a vast forest, there was a crafty Fox. One day, the Fox had an accident. His fluffy tail was caught in a bush, and he couldn't free himself. Being unable to move, he became an easy target for the tiny mosquitoes in the forest.

The mosquitoes saw the trapped Fox as an opportunity for a feast and started to buzz around him. One by one, they landed on the Fox, biting him and feasting on his blood. The Fox winced with each bite but was powerless to swat them away.

A kind-hearted Hedgehog happened to pass by and saw the Fox's predicament. Feeling sorry for the Fox, the Hedgehog offered to help. "Dear Fox," said the Hedgehog, "I can roll over and use my prickly spines to brush away those pesky mosquitoes."

But the Fox, despite the pain, quickly replied, "No, no, don't do that!"

The Hedgehog was surprised. "Why not?" he asked, "They are biting you and causing you pain."

The Fox, still wincing, explained, "You see, the mosquitoes on me now are full. They have had their fill of my blood. They can't take any more. If you chase them away, new hungry mosquitoes will come and replace them. Those new mosquitoes will bite and take even more blood. It's better to leave these full mosquitoes be."

And so, the Hedgehog respected the Fox's wish, and the Fox bore his discomfort, knowing that if he endured, he would ultimately lose less.z

In a forest so vast it needed its own map, there lived a crafty Fox, as sly as a... well, a fox. One sunny day, the Fox found himself in a rather prickly predicament. His fluffy tail, his pride and joy, got caught in a bush. "Oh, the irony," he thought, "trapped by nature itself!"

He wriggled and jiggled but couldn't free himself, becoming a five-star buffet for the tiny mosquitoes of the forest.

The mosquitoes, always on the lookout for a good feast, saw the Fox and said, "Boys, looks like lunch is served!" One by one, they buzzed down to the Fox, nibbling and noshing like they were at a grand picnic.

"Oh, oh! Watch the fur," the Fox exclaimed, but he couldn't do a thing to swat them away.

Then along came a kind-hearted Hedgehog, strolling through the forest like he owned the place. He spotted the Fox and couldn't help but chuckle. "Dear Fox, you look like you're having a party, and all the guests are biting!"

Feeling a pang of sympathy, he offered, "I can roll over those pesky mosquitoes with my prickly spines. They'll be gone in a jiffy!"

The Fox, wincing with a side of eye-rolling, quickly replied, "No, no, don't do that! Please, the fashion statement alone would be dreadful!"

The Hedgehog, surprised and a bit amused, asked, "Why not? They're causing you pain, aren't they?"

The Fox, doing his best to maintain his suave composure, explained, "You see, these mosquitoes are full, plump, and satisfied, like guests at a holiday feast. They can't take any more. Shoo them away, and new, hungry mosquitoes will replace them. Those greedy ones will take even more blood. Best to let these full ones nap!"

And so, the Hedgehog respected the Fox's odd logic, saying, "Well, can't argue with that! You're the boss, Foxy."

They exchanged knowing smiles, and the Fox bore his discomfort with a sense of wily wisdom, knowing that sometimes, it's better to dance with the devil you know.

And as for the Hedgehog? He strolled on, chuckling to himself, "Never a dull moment in the forest!"

Deep within a forest, wide and grand,
Lived Mr. Fox, the best in the land.
One sunny day, to his sad surprise,
His fluffy tail was caught, oh my, oh my!

Stuck in a bush, Fox couldn’t run free,
Soon he was mobbed by a mosquito spree.
They buzzed and they bit, their feast began then,
While Fox just sat, thinking "Oh, not again!"

Hedgehog came by, with spikes sharp and neat,
He saw Mr. Fox, and ran to his seat.
“Dear Fox,” he said, with a big friendly grin,
“I can roll over and chase those bugs from your skin.”

But Fox, even in pain, spoke fast and true,
“Dear Hedgehog, there’s something I must tell you.
These bugs, you see, are full and done,
Chase them, and new hungry ones will come run.”

“These bugs are full, their bites almost through,
New ones will come, hungry and start anew.
So let them be, though it's hard to believe,
Sometimes it's best to just let things be and breathe.”

Hedgehog nodded, knowing just what to do,
Patted Fox’s head and off he flew.
Fox sat with the bugs, his smart choice in sight,
Enduring some pain, knowing he'd be alright.

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Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think the Fox refused the Hedgehog's help?
  2. What does this story teach us about the idea of "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know"?
  3. Can you think of a time when you decided to keep a difficult situation instead of risking it getting worse?
  4. How did the Fox show wisdom and understanding of his situation?
  5. How can we apply the Fox's lesson in our own lives when dealing with challenging circumstances?

Fable Quotes

In the face of adversity, the wise adapt, knowing that endurance can often yield the greatest outcome.
Patience endures discomfort, for it knows that time brings relief and minimizes the harm.
True wisdom lies in enduring temporary discomfort to avoid greater harm in the long run.
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