In a quiet village beside the shimmering Adriatic Sea, lived a young man named Milutin. He was of modest means, known for his quick wit and cheerful disposition, but he also carried a streak of recklessness that his neighbours sometimes eyed with warning. The coastline and the olive-groves around the settlement bore the scent of salt and fruit; ancient stones warmed in the sun, and birds circled overhead, calling reminders of the world beyond.
One day Milutin set out from the village early, just after dawn, with a small sack on his shoulder and a heart full of ambition. Word had reached him of a wealthy merchant who promised a reward if one could outsmart a clever fox that plagued his estate, stealing chickens, leaving only feathers dancing in the moonlight, and mocking every trap set for it. This fox, they said, was nimble, cunning, and unexpectedly bold. Milutin looked upon the tall hedges of the merchant’s lands, the orchard rows and the low stone fences, and reckoned he might just match the beast’s cunning.
He approached the merchant’s estate and volunteered for the challenge. The merchant agreed: if Milutin could catch the fox by dawn the next day, he would grant him a fine purse of coins, and the title of his man. Milutin accepted. That evening he walked the perimeter, watched the moon’s silver across still water troughs, heard rustlings in the laurel bushes, and thought himself ready.
As night deepened, the fox made its move. It slipped through the orchard, stole a chicken, and vanished into the shadows. Milutin sprang his trap, a net beneath a ladder, but the fox danced around, climbed a branch, leapt over the net, and vanished with the chicken’s cluck echoing behind. Milutin cursed his luck, but he also grinned, for he felt alive with the chase.
Then, just before midnight, Milutin devised his gambit. He placed a basket of grain near the outer hedges, sprinkled a trail toward a low-walled courtyard, and stood in the darkness propped against an olive tree. He held a lantern, hidden, ready to spring. Quietly he waited. The silver moon moved across the sky, and the sea beyond hissed softly against distant rocks.
Soon the fox emerged, sly and sleek, sniffing the grain trail. It crept toward the courtyard, then paused, cocking its head under the lantern’s light. At that moment Milutin sprang from his hiding place, called out boldly, and flung a rope loop. The fox dashed—but in its haste it collided with the low wall and tumbled into the courtyard, surprised by the sudden shout and the glowing lantern.
Milutin rushed in and captured it. The fox struggled, but he held firm until the merchant arrived. The next morning, the merchant rewarded Milutin generously: the fine purse of coins, the title of his man, and the certainty that people in the village would speak of his feat for years.
For a while Milutin lived comfortably under the merchant’s protection. But one night, restless, he slipped away from the estate and returned to his home village. He told his friends tales of his triumph, and of how the fox’s cunning had tested him and how his gamble had worked. His stories grew taller and his pride swelled.
Soon the merchant entrusted Milutin with more: he sent him to manage a vineyard by the coast, with its terraced land, grapes heavy on the vine, and the salt-wind lurking at the edges. Milutin accepted, believing himself now seasoned. He gathered the grapes, oversaw the presses, and the harvest went well. But with success came sloth, and Milutin began to neglect the fences, let the dogs sleep outdoors, and grow careless in the watchful hours.
One evening a wild boar from the nearby woods burst into the vineyard, uprooting vines, chomping grapes, snapping trellises. Milutin heard the commotion, rushed in, but the boar escaped into darkness, leaving destruction in its wake. The merchant, upon seeing the ruin, was disappointed. He advised Milutin: “You may be clever, Milutin, but you must also stay on guard. Cunning alone is not enough.”
Milutin humbled himself and set repair. He repaired fences, fed the dogs, walked the lines of vines each dusk, and listened to the sea wind through the leaves. The vineyard recovered. The grapes ripened. The merchant was pleased again.
In time Milutin earned respect and trust. He settled into the rhythm of the work: dawn light on the terraces, sea-salt in the air, the heavy scent of grapes. And yet he never forgot how the fox had humbled him, nor how the boar had reminded him that nature and chance do not always bend to human wit.
One autumn evening, as the sun dipped into the sea in blazing gold, Milutin stood atop a hill overlooking the vineyard. He held a goblet of wine made from that season’s harvest. He gazed at the twisted vines, the stone terraces, the shimmering sea beyond, and he felt both gratitude and resolve. He resolved that from then on he would pair his cleverness with diligence, his bold gambles with caution, and his ambition with respect for the land and its moods.
And so the tale of Milutin spread among the villagers along the coast. They told how he outwitted the fox, how he rose in favour, how he nearly lost all to the boar, and how he learned that even the cleverest must stay vigilant, humble, and steadfast.
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Moral lesson
Ambition and cleverness can achieve great things, but without steady work and humble vigilance, even the triumphant can falter. Milutin’s story reminds us that success needs both sharp mind and steady hands.
Knowledge Check
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Who is Milutin in the tale and what role does he play?
Milutin is the young, somewhat reckless but witty protagonist who volunteers to capture the fox, manages the vineyard, and learns a lesson in vigilance and humility. -
What was the challenge Milutin accepted from the merchant?
He volunteered to catch a clever fox that had been raiding the merchant’s estate, promising a reward if he succeeded. -
How did Milutin manage to capture the fox?
He laid a trap by baiting a trail of grain toward a courtyard, hid by an olive tree with a lantern, and when the fox followed the trail he sprang and threw a rope loop to catch it. -
What event nearly undid Milutin’s success, and what caused it?
A wild boar broke into the vineyard and caused destruction because Milutin had grown careless, neglecting fences and guard dogs, even though he had once been successful. -
What is the central moral or lesson of Milutin’s story?
That cleverness and ambition must be matched with steady work, humility, vigilance, and respect for surroundings; success isn’t guaranteed by wit alone. -
Where does this tale come from and what cultural region does it reflect?
This tale is adapted from the narrative folklore of the Istrian and Dalmatian region (Croatia), collected and studied by folklorists such as Maja Bošković‑Stulli.
Source: Adapted from a Croatian folktale, Istria/Dalmatia region, Croatia. Source collection attributed to Maja Bošković-Stulli and others.
