At the top of a tall larch there lived speakers. They had small children. A fox got into the habit of walking under the larch. He comes and says:
- Speakers, speakers, here I come. Drop me one cub.
- Go away. We won’t give you our children,” the speakers answered.
- Won't you give it? But I'll take it anyway.
- Where can you find us in a tree!
“And then I’ll get it,” said the sly fox, “I’ll run, jump onto the clouds and from there I’ll fall on you.” And then I’ll eat not only your cubs, but you too.
The speakers got scared, believed the fox and threw one of the cubs to her. The fox picked him up and ran into the forest. The speakers are sitting on a tree, crying.
The next day the fox came again. Again it demands:
- Throw it quickly, otherwise I’ll jump to the moon, come down from the moon to you and eat you all.
I had to give the fox another cub to the stupid speakers.
The speakers are sad and crying. The cranes flew in, sat on the larch, and asked:
- Why are you crying?
— Lisa got into the habit of visiting us. It frightens us and carries away our young ones.
- How does the fox scare you?
- He threatens to jump onto the tree and eat us all. The cranes laughed:
- A fox will never climb a tree. Yes, she won’t jump higher than a birch stump. And if she still scares you, you tell her: “Come on, jump” - and see what happens.
The cranes rose from the tree and flew low along the slope. The speakers are sitting, waiting for the fox. The next day the fox came running, out of breath, demanding the cub.
“Throw it quickly, otherwise I don’t have time today,” said the fox and licked its lips.
The speakers sit and are silent, looking sideways at the fox in fear.
“Well, what are you doing?” the fox hurries... “Otherwise, if I jump on a tree, it will be bad.”
Then the speaker’s father plucked up courage and said:
- Jump and try...
The fox swung its tail out of anger, ran away, strained all its strength, but did not jump higher than the birch stump... It fell and lies there.
The speakers look at her and laugh. The fox became ashamed and began to run around the tree. How long or how long did she run, asks the columnists:
- Who told you that I can’t climb trees?
- The cranes said.
-Where are they?
- They flew down the slope.
“Okay then. “I’ll settle accounts with them,” the fox thought and ran to look for the cranes. How long or how long has she been running, she sees cranes flying low. Behind them, the sunset took over half the sky. The fox shouted:
- Look around, cranes, there’s a fire! Let's run to my hole to save ourselves.
The fox ran. The cranes flew after her. We flew to the hole. They began to argue about who should go into the hole first.
“You go in,” said the fox, “and I’ll stand at the entrance; if a big fire gets here, I will shout to you.
The cranes consulted and climbed into the hole. The fox immediately sat down at the entrance.
“Well... what did you say to the speakers?” the fox asked sarcastically. “What do you say now?”
Cranes say:
- What can I say now? Guilty. Before we die, at least let us look at the light, at least from under your feet.
The fox couldn't stand it and raised one leg. The cranes seemed to gather to look at the light, but they fell on the fox, pushed it off and flew away. Two young cranes did not have time to fly away: the fox blocked their exit.
“Here I’ll show you the light,” said the fox.
- Don't be angry with us. Do you want us to carry you across the sea on our wings and you will catch up with the whole flock? - said the young cranes.
“Okay, bring it,” agreed the fox.
Both cranes sat down, connected their wings to each other, placed the fox on them and flew off. They flew and flew and arrived at the sea. Sky above, water below. The cranes flew into the middle of the sea. Above the deepest place they scattered to the sides. The fox fell into the sea and drowned.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru