Aesop
|
Greece

The Fox and the Woodcutter

A woodcutter saved a fox from hunters but secretly pointed to its hiding place, so the fox ran away, feeling betrayed.
Honesty
Trust
Deception
The Trader and The Donkey
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, a clever fox was being pursued by a group of hunters and their hounds. In his desperation to escape, the fox sought refuge in a nearby woodcutter's hut. The kind woodcutter, taking pity on the frightened fox, agreed to help him and advised the fox to hide in his hut.

Not long after, the hunters arrived at the woodcutter's hut, asking if he had seen the fox. The woodcutter, wanting to keep his promise to the fox but afraid to lie to the hunters, decided to deceive them. He told the hunters that he hadn't seen the fox, but subtly gestured toward the hut where the fox was hiding. The hunters, failing to notice the gesture, thanked the woodcutter and continued their search elsewhere.

Once the coast was clear, the fox emerged from his hiding place, preparing to leave. The woodcutter, expecting gratitude from the fox, was surprised when the fox departed without a word. The woodcutter called out to the fox, asking why he was leaving without offering thanks for the help he had received.

The fox replied, "If you had truly wished to help me, you would not have given any hint of my whereabouts to the hunters." With that, the fox disappeared into the forest, leaving the woodcutter to ponder his actions.

Once upon a time, a fox was running through the forest, trying to escape from hunters and their barking dogs. His heart beat fast as he searched for a place to hide. Then, he spotted a small house.

A kind woodcutter stood by the door, looking surprised as the frightened fox ran toward him.

“Please help me!” the fox begged.

The woodcutter felt sorry for the fox. He nodded and pointed to a dark corner inside. “Hide there,” he whispered.

A moment later, the hunters arrived. They knocked on the door and asked, “Have you seen a fox come this way?”

The woodcutter didn’t want to betray the fox, but he was also afraid to lie. So he said, “No, I haven’t seen a fox,” but at the same time, he made a small hand movement, pointing toward the fox’s hiding place.

Luckily, the hunters didn’t notice. “Thank you!” they said and hurried back into the forest to continue their search.

When the hunters were gone, the fox stepped out of his hiding place. He started walking away without saying anything.

Surprised, the woodcutter asked, “Aren’t you going to thank me for helping you?”

The fox turned and said, “If you really wanted to help me, you wouldn’t have pointed to where I was hiding.” Then, without another word, he ran back into the woods, leaving the woodcutter deep in thought.

There is a fox. One day, he runs away from men and dogs. The fox needs a place to hide. He sees a man's house. The man cuts wood for his job. He sees the scared fox. He wants to help the fox. He says, "Hide in my house."

Soon, the men come. They ask the man, "Did you see the fox?" The man does not want to lie. He also wants to help the fox. He says, "I did not see the fox." But he points to where the fox is hiding. The men do not see this. They say, "Thank you," and go away.

After the men leave, the fox comes out. He is ready to go. He does not say "Thank you" to the man. The man is surprised. He asks the fox, "Why do you not thank me?"

The fox says, "If you really wanted to help me, you should not have told the men anything." Then, the fox goes back to the forest.

Once upon a time, a fox was running through the forest, trying to escape from hunters and their barking dogs. His heart beat fast as he searched for a place to hide. Then, he spotted a small house.

A kind woodcutter stood by the door, looking surprised as the frightened fox ran toward him.

“Please help me!” the fox begged.

The woodcutter felt sorry for the fox. He nodded and pointed to a dark corner inside. “Hide there,” he whispered.

A moment later, the hunters arrived. They knocked on the door and asked, “Have you seen a fox come this way?”

The woodcutter didn’t want to betray the fox, but he was also afraid to lie. So he said, “No, I haven’t seen a fox,” but at the same time, he made a small hand movement, pointing toward the fox’s hiding place.

Luckily, the hunters didn’t notice. “Thank you!” they said and hurried back into the forest to continue their search.

When the hunters were gone, the fox stepped out of his hiding place. He started walking away without saying anything.

Surprised, the woodcutter asked, “Aren’t you going to thank me for helping you?”

The fox turned and said, “If you really wanted to help me, you wouldn’t have pointed to where I was hiding.” Then, without another word, he ran back into the woods, leaving the woodcutter deep in thought.

Once upon a time, in a forest that felt a lot like a playground for adventurers, a super cheeky fox found himself in quite a pickle. He was sprinting as if he were trying to beat his own high score on a video game. And who were his enthusiastic followers? A group of hunters and their noisy dogs, who seemed like they had skipped nap time.

Fox thinks aloud, "Why can't these guys play tag or something? So much more civilized!"

In a dash, the fox finds a cozy little woodcutter's hut. Inside, the woodcutter looks up from his work and says, "Hey there, speedy! What's the rush? Somebody chasing you or what?"

Fox laughs and replies, "Chasing me? Kind of an understatement. Think of it as a very enthusiastic fan club with no boundaries!"

The woodcutter chuckles and offers, "Well, if it's a hide-and-seek game you're playing, wanna hang out here? Got some super fun sticks and stones to play with!"

Fox sighs, "Sticks and stones? What's next, mud pies? All right, I'll take cover."

So the woodcutter shows the fox to a comfy, cozy corner inside the hut. The fox gets settled, curling his tail around him like a fluffy pillow.

Soon enough, the hunters show up, looking puzzled. "Hey, have you seen a fox around? One that looks like he’s trying out for a hair-gel commercial?"

The woodcutter, wanting to keep his promise to the fox but also not wanting to fib to the hunters, takes a clever approach. He says, "Hmm, a fox, you say? Nope, haven't seen him, but if I did, he'd probably critique my wallpaper." At the same time, he subtly winks toward the hut where the fox is hidden.

The hunters, completely missing the sneaky wink, say, "Alright, thanks for nothing," and they walk away, continuing their super-important, totally necessary fox hunt.

After the hunters and their yappy dogs leave, the fox jumps out from his snug corner, ready to hit the road.

The woodcutter calls out, "Hey, where's the 'thank you'? I hid you, didn’t I?"

Fox turns back and states, "Well, if you were really all-in on helping me, you wouldn't have done that sly wink-wink to the hunters, would you now?"

With that snappy retort, the fox prances off into the forest, his tail high, like he’s on a runway. The woodcutter is left scratching his head, contemplating his next career move.

The woodcutter mumbles to himself, "Fine, next time, I’ll just draw a big arrow pointing to where you are. How about that, Mr. Sassy Pants?"

And off goes the fox, maybe to draft a forest review blog. The woodcutter? Well, he's left pondering if he should maybe take up mime as a hobby. After all, his subtle gestures could use some work!

Once a clever fox on the run,
From hunters and hounds, not having fun.
Found refuge with a woodcutter, kind and fair,
"Hide in my hut, you'll be safe in there."

Hunters knocked on the door, "Fox, did you see?"
The woodcutter paused, in a moral decree.
"No fox around here," he softly did say,
While pointing his thumb where the fox lay.

The hunters shrugged, "Alright, we'll roam,"
Not catching the hint, they left him alone.
When all was clear, the fox stepped outside,
Ready to go, in the forest he'd hide.

"Wait," cried the man, "No thank you to me?"
"I saved your life; don't you agree?"
The fox looked back, his eyes cool and sly,
"If you meant to help, why'd you almost say 'hi'?"

"Your hint to the hunters could've been my end,
True help needs no clues, on that depend."
Away dashed the fox, in the forest, now free,
Leaving the woodcutter, lost in a thoughtful decree.

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Word Finder

  1. Hunters

    People who catch animals in the forest.

  2. Barking

    Loud sounds dogs make with their mouths.

  3. Spotted

    Saw something quickly and noticed it.

  4. Frightened

    Feeling very scared or afraid.

  5. Betray

    To hurt someone who trusts you.

  6. Whispered

    Spoke very softly and quietly.

  7. Luckily

    Happened in a good or lucky way.

  8. Hurried

    Moved fast to go somewhere quickly.

  9. Stepped

    Moved forward by taking a step.

  10. Thought

    Ideas or feelings inside the mind.

Understanding Questions

  1. Why was the fox running through the forest at the beginning of the story?
  2. What did the woodcutter do when the fox asked for help?
  3. How did the woodcutter try to answer the hunters' question without lying?
  4. Why was the fox unhappy with the woodcutter after the hunters left?
  5. What did the fox do at the end of the story?
Word Finder
  1. Runs

    Moves fast with legs.

  2. Hide

    Go where nobody sees.

  3. Cuts

    Uses something sharp to divide.

  4. Scared

    Feels afraid or worried.

  5. Lie

    Say something not true.

  6. Points

    Shows direction with finger.

  7. Ready

    Prepared to start something.

  8. Surprised

    Feeling something unexpected.

  9. Anything

    Any thing or object.

  10. Forest

    A big area with many trees.

  1. Hunters

    People who catch animals in the forest.

  2. Barking

    Loud sounds dogs make with their mouths.

  3. Spotted

    Saw something quickly and noticed it.

  4. Frightened

    Feeling very scared or afraid.

  5. Betray

    To hurt someone who trusts you.

  6. Whispered

    Spoke very softly and quietly.

  7. Luckily

    Happened in a good or lucky way.

  8. Hurried

    Moved fast to go somewhere quickly.

  9. Stepped

    Moved forward by taking a step.

  10. Thought

    Ideas or feelings inside the mind.

Understanding Questions
  1. Who runs away from the men and dogs?

    1. The man
    2. The fox
    3. The dog
    4. The hunter
  2. Where does the fox go to hide?

    1. To a tree
    2. To a cave
    3. To a man's house
    4. To the forest
  3. What does the man do for his job?

    1. He cooks food
    2. He cuts wood
    3. He drives a car
    4. He hunts animals
  4. What does the man say to the fox?

    1. "Run away"
    2. "Hide in my house"
    3. "Go to the forest"
    4. "Find another place"
  5. What does the fox do after the men leave?

    1. He says "Thank you"
    2. He goes back to the forest.
    3. He stays in the house.
    4. He runs to the men.
  1. Why was the fox running through the forest at the beginning of the story?
  2. What did the woodcutter do when the fox asked for help?
  3. How did the woodcutter try to answer the hunters' question without lying?
  4. Why was the fox unhappy with the woodcutter after the hunters left?
  5. What did the fox do at the end of the story?
  1. How did the fox end up in the woodcutter's house?
  2. What problem did the woodcutter face when the hunters arrived?
  3. How did the woodcutter try to balance his promise to the fox with his honesty to the hunters?
  4. Why was the woodcutter disappointed with the fox after the hunters left?
  5. What did the fox imply about the woodcutter's actions when it left without thanking him?
Reflection Questions
  1. Why did the fox run into the woodcutter’s house?
  2. What did the woodcutter do when the hunters asked if he had seen the fox?
  3. Why was the fox not thankful?
  4. How could the woodcutter have managed the situation differently?
  5. Why is it important to be honest and thoughtful?
Fable Quotes
Honesty is the best policy.
Trust is a precious gem, handle it with care, for once broken, its sparkle dims.
Deception can promise safety, but truth holds the key to trust.
Just One More Fable
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