In a peaceful village of Belgium, where cottages were thatched with golden straw and gardens bloomed with every color of the season, there lived a proud and clever cock. His feathers shone like burnished copper in the sunlight, and his crow was known far and wide as the herald of morning. Every day, he strutted through the barnyard with a confident air, preening before the hens and keeping watch over the farm.
Yet this quiet village, with its rolling fields and winding dirt paths, was not without danger. Lurking in the nearby woods was a sly fox, whose coat glimmered like autumn leaves and whose eyes gleamed with cunning intelligence. The fox had watched the farm for many days, longing to make the proud cock his dinner.
One bright morning, as the cock roamed near the edge of the yard, the fox appeared, stepping lightly from behind a hedge. “Good morning, magnificent cock,” he said, his voice smooth as silk. “Your feathers shine brighter than the sun itself. Might I speak with you for a moment?”
The cock, wary of the fox’s reputation, puffed out his chest. “I hear your flattery, but I also know your kind,” he replied. “Do you come to greet me, or to plot against me?”
The fox, masking his hunger behind a charming smile, spoke cleverly. “Oh, noble cock, I mean no harm. I have heard of your wisdom and beauty and wish only to learn your secrets.”
The cock, not entirely trusting, pretended to consider the offer. “Very well,” he said slowly. “But you must promise me truthfully that you seek no mischief.”
“I swear it by the sun and sky,” said the fox.
With that, the fox proposed a contest of intelligence. “Let us see whose wits are sharper,” he said. “If I fail, I will leave you in peace forever. If you fail, I shall take what is rightfully mine.”
The cock, knowing he must be cautious, agreed. “Very well. Speak your challenge.”
The fox smiled and said, “Tell me, O clever cock, how do you know the sun rises each morning?”
The cock, lifting his head toward the brightening sky, crowed proudly. “I watch and listen, and I greet it. Each day I announce the dawn, and each day it rises at its appointed hour. And so, the sun’s truth is known to me.”
The fox nodded, hiding a growl of frustration behind his composure. “Impressive,” he said, stepping back, but still eyeing the cock hungrily. “But now, let us see if you can escape a trap.”
The fox attempted to lure the cock closer with sweet words and promises of a journey to distant meadows. The cock, however, had anticipated the fox’s cunning. Striding boldly, he leapt onto the roof of the barn, clapping his wings and flapping high above the fox’s reach.
The fox, snarling with frustration, circled the barn and called, “Come down, and we shall continue our contest!”
But the cock, safe and clever, answered from above, “Your flattery cannot fool me, nor can your tricks reach the heights of wisdom and vigilance. I am safe as long as I keep my wits sharp and my wings ready.”
Defeated and humiliated, the fox slunk back into the forest, his belly empty and his pride wounded. The cock, victorious, strutted through the yard once more, feathers gleaming in the sun, and crowed loudly to announce not only the morning but also the triumph of cleverness over deceit.
From that day on, the villagers would tell the story of the brave and intelligent cock who had outsmarted the sly fox. He became a symbol of vigilance and wit, a reminder that cunning alone cannot triumph over wisdom and prudence.
Moral Lesson
The story teaches that intelligence and vigilance can protect one from deceit and danger. Quick thinking and awareness are often more powerful than brute strength or sly trickery.
Knowledge Check
- Who is the main character in the tale?
The clever cock, known for his intelligence and vigilance. - What role does the fox play in the story?
The sly antagonist, attempting to trick and eat the cock. - How does the cock escape the fox’s trap?
By using his wit to anticipate the fox’s plan and leaping onto the barn roof. - What does the cock symbolize in Belgian folklore?
Wisdom, vigilance, and the triumph of cleverness over danger. - What lesson does the tale of the cock and the fox teach?
That intelligence and prudence can overcome deceit and cunning. - What is the cultural origin of this folktale?
The story comes from Belgium and is listed among Belgian folktales.
Source: Adapted from “The Cock and the Fox” listed under Belgian folktales on FairyTalez.
Cultural Origin: Belgium
