In a lush, green forest, there lived a mischievous fox who loved playing tricks on the other animals. One sunny day, he met a new arrival in the forest, a stork with a long beak and an elegant neck. Eager to make a new friend, the stork greeted the fox warmly. The fox, seeing an opportunity for his playful antics, invited the stork over for dinner.
The fox returned to his home with a sly plan in mind. He decided to serve soup in a shallow bowl, knowing well that the stork’s long beak wouldn’t be able to scoop it up. He chuckled to himself at the thought of the upcoming trick.
At precisely 8 o’clock, the stork arrived, gracious and polite. The fox welcomed her and presented the soup. As expected, the stork struggled to eat the soup with her beak, while the fox watched, laughing at his clever trick.
Feeling a mix of embarrassment and hunger, the stork decided it was best to leave. The fox, content with his prank, bid her goodnight and slurped up the soup himself.
But the stork, though upset, had a plan to teach the fox a lesson in kindness. The very next day, she invited the fox to her home for dinner. She prepared the meal, placing it in long-necked bottles – perfect for her beak but impossible for the fox’s wide mouth.
When the fox arrived, he found himself unable to reach the food and drink in the bottles. The stork, with ease, enjoyed her meal. Realizing his predicament, the fox felt ashamed and apologized for his behavior the previous night.
The stork, kind-hearted as she was, decided to serve the fox his dinner on a plate, ensuring he could eat comfortably. They dined together, sharing laughter and stories, and the fox learned a valuable lesson in empathy and respect.
Before leaving, the fox, now wiser and more thoughtful, suggested taking one of the stork’s bottles home. He wanted to make sure that when she visited him next, she would be comfortable and able to eat easily.
The moral of the story, as the storyteller reminds us, is not to play tricks on others unless you are willing to experience the same treatment yourself. It’s a tale of empathy, understanding, and the importance of treating others as you would like to be treated.
