Once there was an old fox with nine tails, who thought that his wife was not faithful to him. In order to check, he stretched himself out under the bench and behaved as if he was dead. Mrs. Fox locked herself inside her room. Just then, someone knocked at the door. The maid, Miss Cat, opened the door and saw a young fox. He asked if Mrs. Fox was at home. The maid told that she was in her room. He then asked Miss Cat to tell Mrs. Fox that a young fox had come to marry her. She went to Mrs. Fox and conveyed the message. Mrs. Fox asked if he had nine tails. “No, he has only one,” answered the cat. Mrs. Fox rejected him. The maid sent the young fox away.
After this, more animals came, each with one tail more than the last one, until a fox came with nine tails. When the widow heard that, she joyfully asked the cat to prepare the wedding feast. But just as the wedding was going to be solemnized, old Mr. Fox stirred under the bench, and drove away all the guests and Mrs. Fox out of the house.
