Mark N.

Orzech
Dr. Filosofova
Lang 3000
11/13/2016
The Cat and the Wounded Fox
There was once and old man and his wife who lived in a rickety old house on
the outskirts of town with their chickens and the loyal farm cat that looked after
them. One day, while returning from purchasing goods in town, the man happened
upon a fox curled up and clutching its paw on the edge of the road. Grandfather,
the fox called out, wont you come and help a creature in need? My paw got caught
in a hunters trap and I cannot walk, let alone hunt for food! I will surely starve to
death if you do not help me! Being of a soft-hearted and gentle nature, the man
pulled the reigns of his horse and drew the cart to a stop. Descending from the cart,
the old man wrapped the foxs bloody paw with some cloth and, placing the animal
on the seat beside him, continued on his way home. The pair talked and joked the
whole way back to the farmhouse and, finding the fox to be quite witty and
agreeable, the man offered for him to stay in their house until he regained his
strength.
The fox stayed for some time, even after his paw had healed fully, but the old
couple welcomed the company and the work that he did around the house. The cat
however, was not happy with the newcomer, who was taking over his duties and
hogging the attention of the old woman, in whose lap he would sit in the evening
while she knit. As the fox grew plump with good food and attention, the cat became
ever more wary. One day, he noticed the fox lingering around the chicken pen in the
yard and brought his concerns before the old man. Oh, dont worry, the farmer
said, Mr. Fox has been very helpful in getting the chores done around here, we
dont have anything to fear from him. The cat, however, was not so trusting. One
night, while chasing down mice on the property, the cat noticed that the gate to the
chicken pen was open and, upon approaching, saw that the fox was inside. Hey!
What are you doing in there? he asked, sitting atop a fencepost. The fox turned
with a start. I- uh, nothing! he stammered, I heard a noise out here and just
wanted to make sure that all of the chickens are accounted for. The cat frowned,
but could not prove that the fox was lying, and so the two made sure that none of
the chickens were missing and returned to the house.
The next morning the cat approached the old man with his concerns a second
time, but again he was turned away by the man, who was too trusting to think the
fox much of a threat. It was not long however, until chickens began disappearing
from the enclosure- first one, then a week or so later, another. While it is not
altogether uncommon for chickens to be taken at night by wolves or other animals,
the man thought that with both the cat and fox helping out, such losses were
strange indeed. Finally, the cat came to him and said, The fox is to blame, and I
can prove it to you! The cat vowed to stay up every night and wake the couple up
if mischief was afoot so that they could see the culprit themselves. Well, said the
old man, If you could prove that it is him and we get rid of him, it would save us
from losing more chickens, not to mention the extra food that he has been eating!
That very night, the cat heard the fox slinking out the back door and hastened to
wake his masters. Crouching in the shadows and peeping through a cracked
window, they saw the fox seize and devour an unsuspecting chicken. By this point
Mark N. Orzech
Dr. Filosofova
Lang 3000
11/13/2016
the fox had grown so large and strong that the frail old man and woman feared
approaching him about the thefts, for fear that he would kill them. The cat however,
while small, was cunning and quick-witted, and asked permission to do away with
the fox such that he would no longer trouble the couple and their chickens again.
They assented eagerly.
The next day was a Sunday and the couple left by cart in the early morning to
travel into town to attend church. The fox had been out since the early morning
gathering firewood and tending to outside chores, and knowing that the couples
absence would be a fortuitous opportunity for the fox to strike, the cat sat in wait.
The fox returned from his work, and seeing the wagon missing from in front of the
house, raced to the chicken pen for a quick meal. Just as he saw the fox about to
close his jaws around a plump and unsuspecting chicken, the cat called out, Hey!
Stop that! Turning swiftly, the fox grinned maliciously. What are you going to do
about it? I am much larger and stronger than you- I should eat you instead! Wait,
the cat interjected, Im far too stringy with not enough meat on me to satisfy you,
and I am sure you are getting tired of chicken- what if I told you that the old couple
have a cobbler cooking inside that they put me in charge of watching- that is far
more delicious and rare! His interest piqued, the fox motioned for the cat to lead
the way, and the pair entered the living room, where the sweet smell of blackberry
cobbler wafted from the cracked door of the stove, filling the room. The foxs mouth
watered and his eyes grew wide as he opened the oven door, entranced by the rich
aroma. Suddenly, the cat lept with all his strength and hurtled into the fox who,
leaning into the oven to get at the bobbling desert within, stumbled face first into
the dancing flames. Swinging the door shut and quickly slamming the latch down,
the cat locked the stove, which shook with the agonized flailing of the fox. Upon
returning from church in the late afternoon, the couple was dismayed to find that
their desert for the night had been ruined, but were pleased to know that the fox
would not be a trouble to them or their chickens anymore.

The End.