A Clever Crane Story

Once upon a time, there was a fox who saw a crane from afar. He thought to himself, "That bird looks quite strange! It seems to be walking on two thin sticks and its neck and beak are really long. It almost doesn't have a head! I doubt it has a brain in such a tiny head. But it's walking so proudly! Well, let's see if I can teach it a lesson." With this plan in mind, the fox chuckled to himself.

The fox went up to the crane and said, "You're a splendid bird! Would you do me the honor of being my friend?" The crane approached cautiously, not fully trusting the fox's intentions, but trying to be polite. They chatted for a while, and as they were about to part ways, the fox invited the crane to a dinner the next day. The crane accepted the invitation happily.

On the agreed day, the crane visited the fox's place for dinner. However, the fox had tricked the crane. He had only prepared a bowl of soup and placed it in a wide dish. The fox encouraged the crane to start eating, while he himself slurped up the soup using his tongue. The fox repeatedly said, "Why aren't you eating, my friend?" Meanwhile, the fox emptied the dish without leaving anything for the crane. The crane realized the fox's cunning plan, but he kept his composure. Before leaving, the crane invited the fox to dine with him the next day, aiming to teach the fox a lesson.

The crane prepared a delicious meal and placed it in a pitcher with a long, narrow neck. When the fox arrived, he was excited to eat, but his excitement turned to frustration. The crane started eating from the pitcher, while the fox could only watch, his mouth watering from the enticing aroma of the food. The crane playfully encouraged the fox to eat, just as the fox had done the day before.

The dinner ended, and the fox left with an empty stomach, realizing that the crane had outsmarted him. He felt ashamed and muttered to himself, "Tit for tat," acknowledging that he had received the same treatment he had dished out.