Once a fox and a badger met on the road, and the fox asked:
-Where are you going, badger?
The badger answers:
“Yes, I’m going to look for a sage for my comrade—one who can help me out of any trouble with reasonable advice.” For example, I’ve heard a lot about your wisdom, auntie. Your fame spreads all over the world, they even sing about you in songs!
“Tell me, badger,” says the fox, “how many tricks have you come up with that can help you out of trouble?”
- Frankly, I came up with three tricks. Excellent tricks, I tell you. Now tell me, how many cunning tricks that can get rid of any misfortune have you invented yourself?
“Nine tricks,” the fox answers.
The badger jumped up with delight!
“I need you as a comrade!” You have nine tricks and I have three, which means we are not afraid of any devil. Come on, fox, let's fraternize!
- OK! - the fox agreed, and they went together. But the fox has only one thing on his mind: he could jump back and forth across the road, tumble over, and jump back and forth. And it’s clear that she fell into a trap. She got caught and begs the badger:
- Hey, badger, dear brother! A terrible misfortune has befallen me! What should I do now? Choose one of your cunning methods, perhaps even help me in my misfortune.
- I won’t help you out! You destroyed yourself!
But the fox doesn’t let up:
- Dear badger! My dear brother! Don't let me get lost! Advise me how to break out of captivity!
The badger answers:
“If you and I hadn’t become brothers, fox, I would never have helped you out of trouble.” But now, so be it, I will give advice. As soon as the person who set the trap approaches you, you begin to rub against his legs and fawn on him. The person will think that you are tame and will let you out. But be careful not to run away right away, otherwise the person will hit you with anything - then it wasn’t even worth the effort to escape from the trap. First, follow the person, and then take a moment and run as fast as you can.
Before the badger and the fox had time to talk properly, lo and behold, a man was walking. A badger saw him and rushed into the bushes - remember his name! And the fox remained to wait for the man. So a man approached the fox, and she began to fawn on him and rub her legs. The man decided that the fox was tame, released it, set a trap and wandered home. The fox trotted after him, and near the first grove he started streaking. They only saw her. The man turned around - the foxes were gone.
- Well, okay, you cheat, you won’t get away from me a second time!
Once a fox was wandering around the forest, and fell into the same trap again. And so he thinks this way and that - is it really impossible to dodge. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a badger comes, and to the fox:
- What happened to you, auntie?
- Yes, brother, I fell into the trap again! I ask you - help. You still have two more cunning methods left in reserve, teach me one. Maybe I can escape the trap.
- Fine! - says the badger. - Pretend to be dead, the man will throw you away! Just be careful not to jump up right away! Wait until he starts loading the trap, then run!
Soon a man arrives. He saw a dead fox, pulled it out of the trap and threw it aside. He began to load the trap, and the fox jumped to his feet and was gone. The man looked around - where was he, the fox was already trotting up the hill. He shook his head and muttered something through his teeth, but the badger did not take his eyes off him, watching from behind a hummock. The man set a trap and wandered home.
Time passed, and then one day, for better or worse, the badger was caught in an ill-fated trap. Meanwhile, the fox was watching him from behind a bush and, when he saw the badger in a trap, began to make fun of him. Poor badger, well, I have to beg her:
- For God’s sake, sister, you have nine cunning tricks, reveal one to me, help me escape!
And it’s not for nothing that the fox is known for its treachery and gave the answer as if slashed with a knife:
- Wow! I like that! Before, I kept suffering, and you looked at my torment from the sidelines, but now suffer yourself and use your brains! I'd rather save my cunning tricks for a rainy day.
The badger listened to the fox’s words and said in a plaintive voice:
- Come closer to me, sister! Let's at least say goodbye to each other one last time - to know that my end has come!
The fox believed the badger. She crawled towards him, and the badger rushed like mad and grabbed her. And here comes the same man from whom the fox ran away twice. He saw what was happening near his trap and shouted:
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru