The Fox and the Woodcutter

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.