There were two huts on the border of the forest. One of them belonged to
the Hare and another one belonged to the Fox. The Hare's hut was made of birch
bark and the Fox's one was made of ice. The Hare's hut was very small. It
consisted of a single small room where only a stove and a table could be
placed. The Fox's hut was very big. It consisted of a lunchroom, a study, a
drawing room and a bedroom. The only trouble was that the hut was made of ice
and had to melt in spring.
April came and the Fox had to worry about a new house. She didn't want to build
a hut and decided to take away the Hare's instead. The Fox came to the Hare's
hut and began to shout loudly: 'Fire! Fire! My hut is burning! Give me water!'
The Hare ran out of his hut, looked round and didn't notice any signs of fire.
When he tried to open the door to his hut he discovered that it was locked from
the inside. The Hare understood that he was deceived by the Fox.
The Hare knocked at the door and cried helplessly: 'Fox, go out! Don't joke!
That won't do to lay hold of another's hous!' 'Don't
prevent me from sleeping! Otherwise I will go out and eat you in one gulp!'
Poor Hare didn't sleep that night because it was very cold in the forest. In
the morning he decided to go to the Wolf who worked as a policeman. 'Dear Wolf!
You are legal agent in our forest! Please help me! The Fox has stolen my hut!
'Don't worry! I will kick the Fox out of your hut!' the Wolf calmed the Hare.
When they came to the Hare's hut the Wolf knocked at the door and said: 'Fox,
open the door! You have stolen the Hare's hut! Come out, you are under arrest!'
The Fox answered: 'Who is knocking at the door' The hunter has given me a
double-barreled gun and asked me to kill the Wolf. If you are the Wolf you may
come in. I will kill you at once.' The Wolf was frightened to death and rushed
to the forest where he soon disappeared.
The Hare was disappointed and decided to call the Bear for help. The Bear also
agreed to help the Hare. The Fox found out that the Bear agreed to help the
Hare to kick her out of the hut and devised what to do. She went to the forest,
took down a hornet's nest from the tree and put it on the hut's porch. Soon the
Fox heard the Bear's roar: 'Fox, come out of the hut! Otherwise I will ruin the
hut and kill you!' At that moment the Bear stepped on the hornet's nest and
screamed from pain. Wasps stung the Bear's foot and then his muzzle, neck, ears
and even his short tail. There was nothing to do but to escape.
When the Bear ran away the Fox opened the door and said: 'Hello, Hare! If you
want to return to your hut you must call the Lion for help. Let the Lion give
you a field gun and a detachment of solders. May be it will help you.'
So, the Fox was able to deceive the Hare for the third time. The Hare was very
sad and decided to go to the Lion. He was walking through the forest and met a
brave Cockerel who was a soldier. 'Why are you crying little Hare'' asked the
Cockerel.
'The Fox has stolen the hut from me! Now I am homeless! I will have to spend
the night in the cold and dark forest.' said the Hare bitterly. 'Don't be
afraid! I will help you' answered the Cockerel. When they came to the Hare's
hut the Cockerel noticed a big pipe lying on the grass nearby. The Cockerel
took it and put it on two big logs. 'Look, this pipe resembles a field gun very
much. I think we will be able to deceive the sly Fox.' said the Cockerel to the
Hare.
Then the Cockerel began to shout loudly: 'Listen to my command, soldiers! Fire
at this hut!' The Fox peeped out of the window and saw the big field gun and a
soldier dressed in the King's uniform. This time the Fox was very frightened.
She believed that the Lion's army came and soldiers were going to fire at the
hut. So, the Fox ran away and since that dat nobody
has ever seen her in the forest. The Cockerel and the Hare became friends and
lived in the hut together.
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