Storytelling for Week 1: The Cunning Cat and Common Sense Fox

There were once two pals who were travelling companions. They found snacks, small meals to maintain sustenance but mostly passed their time talking. They talked for quite some time before the discussion turned into an argument; and as arguments often do when between people who know each other, theirs became personal.

The fox spouted off to the cat, teasing him. "I bet you find yourself to be pretty smart, huh? Thinking you're always right, thinking you always know the best way to do something."

The cat admitted that he did not have many tricks. In fact, he only had one; but that one trick was extremely valuable, more so than any of the fox's tricks. Quality over quantity, he stressed.

The fox, opened his mouth to reply, but quickly shut it. Both of their ears perked up; they'd both heard the sound of approaching hunters. Their horns rang out and their dogs' barks carried through the trees and across the land.

Instinctively, the cat jumped up into the tree and vanished, hidden among the leaves and branches.

The Fox and the Cat by Winceslaus Hollar

Retrieved from Wikimedia

From deep within the foliage, the fox heard the cat say, "Here is my trick! Show me yours!"

The fox's head twitched and his eyes moved side-to-side as he thought through his multitudes of escape plans. He had so many! The fox ran, trying to decide which plan to take and buying some time as the hounds approached, biting at his paws.

He tried many things: diving into random burrows, taking sharp turns, doubling back, and running as fast as he could- but these were simply not enough. The hounds quickly caught up to and overtook the fox, quieting his bragging and teasing.

In the end, the cat's common sense won him not only the argument, but his life. The fox's tricks and supposed cunning were too much and not enough at the same time and he paid the ultimate price.

Author's Note
This story is based off of the fable by Aesop titled "The Cat and the Fox" which can be found in the book Aesop for Children, illustrated by Milo Winter (1919). The fable tells the short tale of a cat and a fox. The cat relies on his instinct, whereas the fox hatches schemes, makes plans, and over-prepares while ignoring his basic instincts. He acts as though for something to be good or right, it must be complicated and new. However, when the two must run from a pack of hounds, the fox cannot make a decision on which plan to choose and ends up being hunted down by the hounds. The fable ends simply with the following words:

"Common sense is always worth more than cunning."

I like this story because I agree that simple is sometimes the best option, and one should always listen to their instincts or "go with their gut."