Page:Stories and story-telling (1915).djvu/123

 THE CLEVER GEESE

A long, long time ago when there were more foxes' dens than cats' cradles, there lived a very sly fox. Every evening this sly fox sneaked up through the tall grass and weeds and around the tree-trunks, pounced upon a plump young goose, and carried it off to his den.

First, he had one hidden away, then two, then three, then four, then five, then six, and by and by as many more.

Well, when he had a round dozen, he called them before him in a circle, fixed them with his bold sharp eyes, and said, "My dumplings, prepare to die. At moonlight, to-night, I dine on young goose."

"You'll surely give us time to say good-by," cried the poor simpletons, who suddenly turned clever to save their necks. "We have become the dearest of friends."

"With all my heart," said the fox, with a bow. "Take as much time as you like, my dainties, for the sweet parting." And off he went.

One silly goose began to giggle at their cleverness before he was out of earshot. But her sisters ran at her and pecked her into silence. They laughed with their eyes only, and so long as the fox kept walking away and not looking back that was perfectly safe.