22 The Fox and the Stork

22. THE FOX AND THE

STORK

By Kate Stonham

A rather large bird was wandering

round the wood, looking a bit lost.

It had long legs, a long thin neck

and a very long bill for eating, that

clattered away as it searched for

nice things to eat.

‘Hey there, big bird!’ cried the

little birds in the trees above.

‘You’re new round these parts,

aren’t you?’

‘Indeed I am,’ replied Stork. ‘And

I’d like to make some friends.’

‘I’ll be your friend,’ purred a soft

voice from behind a bush. Out

slunk Fox with his shiny red coat

and soft paws.

‘Oooo, we wouldn’t make friends

with old Foxy if we were you,’

chorused the birds. ‘He’s a bit of a

joker.’

‘Oh, ignore them’, Fox purred reas

suringly. ‘Please, allow me to show

you round the woods…’

Fox and Stork were soon laughing

and chatting as if they’d known

each other forever…

‘What do you like to eat, Stork?’

asked Fox. ‘Frogs, fish, insects

and earthworms are my favourites,’

replied Stork.

‘Mine too – oh, leaving aside frogs,’

said Fox. ‘I eat nuts and berries too –

and I’m very partial to the occasional

little bird.’

‘Boo, hiss!’ cried the birds from

above.

‘Only joking,’ said Fox rather too

quickly. ‘Would you like to come

around my house tomorrow for

supper, Stork?’

‘It’s a trick, it’s a trick!’ chorused

the birds.

‘Thank you, Fox, I’d love to!’

That night, Stork flew over to Fox’s

house.

1‘Come in!’ cried Fox as he showed

Stork into the dining room. ‘I hope

you like fish soup with mashed

earthworms.’

Stork was expecting to see two

bowls full of lovely steaming soup –

but instead, two flat plates covered

in a thin layer of liquid lay on the

table.

Stork tried her hardest to eat the

soup with her bill, but it was im

possible.

Fox meanwhile was already licking

his bowl clean. ‘Oh, dear, is there

a problem?’ he asked with a smirk.

‘Not at all,’ replied Stork. ‘It’s just

– well, I had rather a large tea

before I came and my tummy’s full.’

‘Tea – I like the sound of that,’

purred Fox. ‘Well, why don’t you

come to my home tomorrow and

join me?’ suggested Stork. ‘I shall

look forward to it,’ replied Fox.

Stork flew home that night with a

heavy heart. ‘We warned you, we

warned you!’ chorused the birds.

‘I know, my so-called friend tricked

me,’ replied Stork. ‘But I may yet

have the last laugh.’

The next day, Fox set off for Stork’s

house. ‘Shame on you!’ cried the

birds as he slunk under their tree.

‘Stork can take a joke,’ Fox replied.

‘And after all, she’s invited me over

for tea.’

‘Hee, hee!’ sniggered the birds.

‘Come in!’ said Stork to Fox. ‘I’ve

cooked roast rabbit on a bed of

grass with berry and nut sauce.

‘Mmm, my favourite,’ said Fox as

Stork carried in a tray.

He stared at the tall jar Stork had

placed in front of him. It was long

and thin and the food lay right at

the bottom.

Fox watched in frustration as Stork

stuck her long bill into her jar and

gobbled up the meal. ‘Oh dear,’ said

Stork. ‘Is there a problem?’

‘None at all,’ growled Fox. He stuck

his nose as far down the jar as he

could, but he still couldn’t reach his

dinner.

And now there really was a prob

lem. ‘Yowl! The jar’s stuck to my

face!’ came Fox’s muffled cries.

2‘Hee hee! Serves you right, Foxy,’

chorused the birds who were

watching on the window sill. For

once, Fox couldn’t answer back.

‘I’ll pull it off with my wings,’

offered Stork kindly.

‘Hmmm, I guess I deserved that

after the joke I played on you,’ said

Fox sheepishly. ‘Never mind,’ said

Stork. ‘I’ve got plenty of food

in the kitchen. This time we’ll have

it on proper plates – and our little

feathered friends can have some

too.’

‘Wee, hee!’ cried the birds.

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