The Fox and the Tiger
A clever fox tricks a fierce tiger into thinking people fear him, when they’re really afraid of the tiger.
Once, a clever fox met a fierce tiger. The tiger showed his sharp teeth and stretched out his claws, ready to eat the fox. But the smart fox quickly said, "Oh, strong tiger, don’t think you’re the only one who is brave. I am just as brave as you—maybe even braver! Let’s take a walk together. You walk behind me, and if people see me and aren’t afraid, then you can eat me."
The tiger thought this was a good plan and agreed. The fox began walking down a big road, with the tiger right behind him. As soon as the people on the road saw the tiger, they got very scared. They didn’t even look at the fox—they were too frightened by the tiger. In a hurry, they all ran away.
The fox looked back at the tiger and said, "See? I walked in front of you, and the people were afraid as soon as they saw me."
The tiger believed the fox’s words. He put his tail between his legs and ran away. What the tiger didn’t know was that the people were not afraid of the fox, but of the strong tiger behind him. The fox had used the fear that the tiger caused.
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Once, a clever fox met a fierce tiger.
The tiger showed his sharp teeth and stretched out his claws, ready to eat the fox.
But the smart fox quickly said, "Oh, strong tiger, don’t think you’re the only one who is brave.
I am just as brave as you—maybe even braver!
Let’s take a walk together.
You walk behind me, and if people see me and aren’t afraid, then you can eat me."
The tiger thought this was a good plan and agreed.
The fox began walking down a big road, with the tiger right behind him.
As soon as the people on the road saw the tiger, they got very scared.
They didn’t even look at the fox—they were too frightened by the tiger.
In a hurry, they all ran away.
The fox looked back at the tiger and said, "See?
I walked in front of you, and the people were afraid as soon as they saw me."
The tiger believed the fox’s words.
He put his tail between his legs and ran away.
What the tiger didn’t know was that the people were not afraid of the fox, but of the strong tiger behind him.
The fox had used the fear that the tiger caused.
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Word Finder
Clever:
Smart and quick at solving problems.Fierce:
Very strong, wild, and not easily afraid.Claws:
Sharp nails animals have on their feet.Brave:
Feeling no fear or acting fearlessly.Agreed:
Said "yes" to a plan or idea.Frightened:
Very scared or full of fear.Hurried:
Moved quickly because of time or danger.Believed:
Thought something was true or real.Afraid:
Feeling fear or being scared of something.Caused:
Made something happen or brought about something.
Understanding Questions
- What did the tiger want to do when he first met the fox?
- How did the fox try to convince the tiger that he was brave?
- Why did the people on the road run away when they saw the fox and tiger?
- What did the fox tell the tiger after the people ran away?
- Why did the tiger run away at the end of the story?
Reflection Questions
- Why do you think the people were so afraid when they saw the fox and the tiger walking together?
- How did the fox use his cleverness to stay safe from the tiger?
- Can you think of a time when you or someone you know acted bravely by thinking quickly, like the fox did?
- Why do you think the tiger believed the fox, even though it wasn’t the fox people were scared of?
- What does this story teach us about being clever versus being strong?
Fable Quotes
"A clever mind can outwit the strongest of foes."
"Power is not only in force but in clever thinking."
"The truth isn’t always in what meets the eye."
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