Once upon a time, there was a wise rooster who had seen a thousand faces of the world and could sense which way the wind would blow before a single leaf even stirred. Throughout his long life, he had fended off so many tricks and witnessed so many liars passing beneath his tree that he could tell from their very first step whose tongue held honey and whose mind held a trap.
One day, while this wise rooster was perched safely on the highest branch of a majestic oak tree, he spotted a sly, red-furred fox approaching softly through the leaves below.
Wearing the world’s most innocent smile, the fox tilted his head upward. Softening his voice as much as possible, he began to speak with honeyed words.
“Ah, my beautiful brother, I bring great news! I have crossed mountains and hills, running from village to village just to deliver these joyous tidings to you. The animal council made a grand decision last night; all the quarrels and fears between us are finally over. As of today, a universal peace has been declared in the forest! The wolf and the lamb, the fox and the rooster are now brothers.”
The fox gently placed his front paws on his chest and bowed his head.
“Come now, come down from that high branch so we may celebrate this historic peace with a tight embrace. I still have a long way to go and many friends to share this good news with.”
With the experience of many years, the wise rooster did not shift an inch from his spot on the branch. With a faint smile on his face, he moved his gaze from the fox below to the distant horizon, where the valley met the high hills.
“What wonderful news this is, brother fox… For such peace to arrive in the world, and to hear this from a sweet-tongued friend like you, is a great joy. However, let us not celebrate this beautiful occasion just the two of us.”
The rooster stretched his neck a little further toward the horizon and flapped his wings with delight.
“Look, racing toward us from the opposite hill, kicking up a cloud of dust and panting heavily, are two large hounds. It seems those hunting dogs have also heard of this universal peace and are eager to celebrate the good news with us. Let us wait… Once they arrive, all four of us can embrace tightly!”
At the word “hounds,” the fox’s innocent smile vanished in sheer terror. Every hair on his body stood on end, and his paws instinctively began to back away on the dirt.
“I… I must take my leave for now, my beautiful brother!”
The honey-like sweetness in the fox’s voice was entirely gone, replaced by a panicked tremble.
“I am in a terrible hurry; I must spread this news to many more villages. You can embrace our dear hound friends in my stead!”
Without even looking back, the fox completely abandoned his slow and polite demeanor, snapping dry branches and kicking up dust as he fled. Within seconds, he disappeared into the depths of the forest.
From the top of the tree, the wise rooster watched the fox’s frantic escape with amusement. He gently fluffed his feathers on his secure branch and greeted the morning sun with the tranquility of having outwitted cunning with intellect once again.
