Timeless stories from around the world to read and listen to, retold in multiple languages. All free, no advertising
One day, a fox gets his tail stuck in a trap. He pulls hard, and his tail breaks off. Now, the fox has no tail. He feels very sad because other foxes have tails, and he does not.
The fox thinks of a plan. He calls the other foxes together. The fox says, "Tails are not good. They get stuck in bushes and are heavy. We should not have tails."
But one old fox speaks. "You lost your tail in a trap. You want us to lose our tails too so you don’t feel bad. We like our tails, and we will keep them."
The foxes do not listen to the fox with no tail. They all go back to their homes, happy with their tails.
Once upon a time, a fox got caught in a trap by his tail. To escape, he had to cut off his tail, leaving him without one. The fox felt very embarrassed about his appearance because he used to be proud of his tail, just like all the other foxes.
One day, the fox decided to call a meeting with all the other foxes in the area. He stood before them and began to speak. "My dear friends," he said, "I have realized that having a tail is not only unnecessary but also a big problem. It gets stuck in bushes, it's heavy to carry, and it's just a burden."
The fox continued, trying to convince the other foxes that they would be better off without their tails. "I think we should all get rid of our tails and live without this trouble."
However, one wise old fox in the crowd did not believe the fox's words. He stood up and said, "My friend, we all know that you lost your tail because of bad luck, and now you want us to look like you so that you feel better. We will not be tricked by your plan, and we will keep our tails as nature intended."
Once upon a time, a fox found himself trapped by his tail in a hunter's snare. To free himself, he had no choice but to sacrifice his tail, leaving him without one. The fox felt very self-conscious about his appearance, as his tail had always been a source of pride for him and the other foxes.
One day, the fox decided to call a meeting with all the other foxes in the area. He stood before them and began to speak. "My dear friends," he said, "I have come to realize that having a tail is not only unnecessary but also a great inconvenience. It gets caught in bushes, it's heavy to carry around, and it is nothing but a burden."
The fox continued, trying to convince his fellow foxes that they would be better off without their tails. "I propose that we all rid ourselves of this nuisance and live free from the hindrance of our tails."
However, one wise old fox in the crowd was not convinced by his words. He stood up and addressed the gathering, "My friend, it is clear to all of us here that you lost your tail through misfortune, and now you want us to look like you so that you feel better about yourself. We will not be fooled by your cunning, and we shall keep our tails, as nature intended."
Once upon a time, a fox found himself in a tricky situation: his tail was caught in a trap. To get out, he had no choice but to cut off his own tail. Now without his bushy appendage, he felt like a pizza without cheese. Tails were a big deal in the fox community—a true source of pride.
Determined to make "tail-less" the new trend, the fox called for a meeting in the forest. "Ladies and gentlefoxes, gather 'round! I have groundbreaking news that will rock your foxy world!"
The foxes leaned in, ears perked, eager to hear what all the fuss was about.
"Now hear this," the fox announced, "Tails are so last season!"
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Hold your applause," the fox continued, savoring the drama. "Tails are just a nuisance. They get caught in doors, they're heavy, and let's face it, have you ever tried to play hide-and-seek with a tail? Impossible!"
The fox spun around, dramatically showing off his lack of a tail. "See? No tail!"
A young fox piped up, "But what about balance? And looking awesome? My tail is practically my superhero cape!"
The tail-less fox laughed, "Balance, shmalance! And looking awesome is all about attitude, not fur!"
Some foxes started nodding, seemingly convinced.
But an old fox stood up, cutting through the chatter. "Wait just a minute. You're only saying all this because you lost your tail, aren't you?"
The tail-less fox chuckled, "Me, trick you? Nah, I'm just ahead of the fashion curve!"
The old fox shook his head, "You're not fooling anyone. We like our tails, and we're keeping them!"
The tail-less fox shrugged, "Well, can't blame a fox for trying. But you'll see, tail-less is the future!"
The old fox responded, "Maybe for you, but not for us. We're not changing who we are just because you changed. And that, my friends, is the real lesson here."
With that, the foxes cheered and trotted away, their tails held high, swishing in the breeze. The tail-less fox watched them go, still convinced he was onto something. But deep down, he understood that trying to change everyone else wasn't the way to feel better about himself.
And so, the tail-less fox walked off the stage, a bit wiser and more humble, finally grasping that you shouldn't impose your own misfortunes or changes on others as a way to fit in.
Caught in a trap, a fox felt so blue,
His tail was now gone, oh, what could he do?
He wandered around, feeling rather small,
Missing his tail, like a tree missing fall.
So he thought up a plan, to call all foxes near,
"To a meeting," he said, "let's make something clear!
Our tails are just trouble, they catch and they weigh,
Let's all say goodbye to our tails today!"
"Imagine the freedom, oh, think of the fun,
We'll run through the forest, faster than anyone!"
His eyes were so bright, his grin stretched so wide,
"Let's cut off our tails, there's no need to hide!"
But up stood a wise fox, so clever and grand,
"Listen, my friends, please understand.
He lost his own tail, it's easy to see,
But don't let his loss change you or me.
"Our tails are our treasure, they're part of our tale,
His sneaky plan is surely to fail.
Our tails aren't a burden; they're lovely, you see,
As nature has made us, so let us be!"
So foxes held tails high, as they danced through the trees,
While the tail-less one learned, it's not easy to please.
The lesson rings true, when advice comes your way,
Be wise and think twice, before you obey.
Thing that catches animals and keeps them stuck.
Can't move or get free from something.
To use force to move something towards you.
When something splits into two or more pieces.
An idea about what to do next.
Small plants with lots of leaves and branches.
Something that is hard to lift or carry.
When something you had is gone or missing.
With other people or things in the same place.
To hear and pay attention to what someone says.
Device to catch animals, usually harmful.
Get away from a place or situation.
Feeling shy or ashamed of something.
The way someone or something looks.
Feeling happy about something you did well.
Gathering of people to discuss something.
Make someone believe or agree with you.
Something heavy or difficult to carry.
Not needed or not important.
Fooled or deceived by someone.
Giving up something valuable for a greater purpose.
Feeling overly aware or embarrassed about one's appearance.
Something causing trouble, difficulty, or discomfort.
A heavy load, responsibility, or something difficult to deal with.
To persuade someone to believe or agree with something.
Something annoying, bothersome, or causing trouble.
An obstacle or something that makes things more difficult.
Bad luck or an unlucky event.
Cleverness in tricking or deceiving others.
Planned or meant to happen in a certain way.
Difficult to deal with or handle.
A part attached to something larger.
Feeling of being proud or important.
New and very important.
Something annoying or bothersome.
Done in an exciting or exaggerated way.
Made to believe something is true.
A way of thinking or feeling about something.
A playful, made-up word meaning balance is not important.
To force others to accept your ideas.
A device to catch animals.
Moved around without a specific destination.
The power to do what you want.
Form a picture in your mind.
Something heavy or difficult to carry.
A wide smile showing happiness.
Doing things in a secret, dishonest way.
Something very valuable or precious.
Suggestions or guidance about what to do.
Follow someone's rules or instructions.
Why does the fox feel sad?
How does the fox feel after losing his tail?
Why does the fox say they should not have tails?
Who speaks against the fox with no tail?
What do the other foxes do after the old fox speaks?
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
We’re retelling the world’s fables in isiXhosa so more children can read, listen and grow in their mother tongue.
Join us to make this possible and help shape futures while building a more inclusive, connected world.
Support #FableItForward.avif)
