The Fox and the Crow

 I bet you can't best guess what I like to eat? Yes, I knew you would say that foxes like to eat chicken better, while they like to steal from them. I don't mind admitting that I wouldn't say no to a nice chicken wing once in a while. But not many people know that what foxes value more than chicken, is a nice occasional piece of cheese.

  Well, today I ate a wonderfully rich, juicy slice of cheddar for my breakfast. She was kindly given to me by a beautiful black-feathered bird whose voice is more wonderful than her appearance. No, I don't mean sky lark, or fancy bird of paradise. I'm talking about Miss Crowe, up in that tree.

It was a beautiful bright morning, and I was following my sharp nose through the woods for a bite to eat, when the smell of cheese caught in the breeze. I looked up at the tree and there on the branch I saw Miss Crowe, who seemed very pleased with herself, for she had in her beak a large piece of cheese. It was stolen, no doubt, from the farms on the hill, but I am not one to accuse people of this and that.

  I called my neighbor and said, "Good morning Miss Crowe, you look very beautiful today, if I may say so." Miss Crow put her head to one side and looked at me with her little piercing eyes, but she kept her beak tightly closed to the cheese.

  “What a charming creature,” I thought to myself, making sure she could hear. “What a wonderful shine on that gorgeous black feather. What wings! What legs! And that beak, gorgeous!”

I could see that Miss Crow was paying close attention to my words, though she was pretending hard not to hear them.

  So I stared at the tree with admiration and love in my eyes and said, "Ah, my heart is so fond of this wonderful bird. If only I could hear her voice. I am sure that such a charming creature must sing sweetly! If I could hear a single line of her song, I would salute her as the princess of the jungle.

  Now I could see my words had hit the house. Miss Crowe puffed up proudly, fluffed her feathers and began to sing the most beautiful music I've ever heard.

  "CAAWWWWWWWWW!"

  OK, OK, I know you're saying Miss Crowe's voice isn't exactly star quality, but to me that's "cawww!" It was just the sound I had been waiting for. Because as soon as she opened her beak, the cheese fell to the ground and she ate breakfast.

  Which just goes to show: flattery will get you everywhere.