Once upon a time, there lived a fox and a hare. The fox lived in the house of snow and the hare lived in the house of wood. The spring came and the fox’s house melted. The house of the hare stood firm. So, the fox asked the hare if he could come in to warm himself. The fox, then, drove the hare out. The hare started crying. He started walking on the road and on the way met two dogs. The dogs asked the hare why he was crying. “Leave me alone, dogs! Who doesn’t cry? I had a wooden house, while the fox had one of snow. He came into my house to warm himself and then drove me out.” “Don’t cry, hare,” barked the dogs, “We will chase the fox out of your house.” “No, you won’t,” cried the hare. “Oh yes, we will,” the dogs said and went to the hare’s house.
The Hare and the Dogs
“Wuff, wuff, wuff! Come out, you wily fox!” “Go away, before I come and tear you to pieces,” the fox shouted from inside. Afraid, the dogs ran away. The hare, again, went on his way crying. Now, he met a bear who asked him, “Why are you crying?” The hare again said, “Leave me alone, bears! Who doesn’t cry? I had a wooden house, while the fox had one of snow. He came into my house to warm himself and then drove me out.” “Don’t cry, hare,” said the bear, “I’ll chase him out.” “No, you won’t. The dogs also tried and failed, so what can you do,” said the hare. “Oh yes, I will,” said the bear. Off they went to chase the fox out. “Come on out, fox!” roared the bear. The fox shouted from inside, “Go away, before I tear you to pieces.” Afraid, the bear also ran away. Once again, the hare went on his way crying. He was helpless; nobody was there to help him.
The Hare and the Ox
The hare, now, met an ox who also asked, “Why are you crying?” To the ox also, the hare said, “Leave me alone, ox! Who doesn’t cry? I had a wooden house, while the fox had one of snow. He came into my house to warm himself and then drove me out.” Sympathetically, the ox said, “Come with me; I’ll chase him out.” “No, you won’t,” said the hare, “The dogs tried and failed, the bear also tried and failed; what better can you do.” “Oh yes, I will,” said the ox. Together, they went to the hare’s house. “Come on out, fox!” But the fox shouted from inside, “Go away, before I tear you to pieces.” The ox also ran away in terror. Yet again, the hare went on his way crying and met a cock with a scalpel. He asked the hare why he was crying. The hare repeated, “Leave me alone, cock! Who doesn’t cry? I had a wooden house, while the fox had one of snow. He came into my house to warm himself and then drove me out.”
The Hare and the Cock
“Come along with me; I’ll chase him out,” said the cock. “No, you won’t,” said the hare, “The dogs tried and failed and so did the bear. Even the ox tried and failed. Will you be able to do it?” “Oh yes, I will,” said the cock. So, they went up to the hare’s house. Reaching there, the cock said to the hare, “Cock-a-doodle-doo! I’ll cut that fox in two with my sharp scalpel!” The fox heard that and was frightened. At once, he said, “I’m getting dressed.” Again, the cock crowed, “Cock-a-doodle-doo! I’ll cut that fox in two with my sharp scalpel!” The fox cried, “I’m putting on my fur coat.” A third time the cock crowed, “Cock-a-doodle-doo! I’ll cut that fox in two with my sharp scalpel!” The fox rushed out of the house and the cock cut off his head. Now, the hare and the cock happily lived together in the hare’s house. They had become good friends over the years.
