Look Before You Leap – A Fox and a Goat

Short Version

Once there was a fox. One day, he was very thirsty. He saw a deep well near him and looked inside. Suddenly, he slipped and fell into the well.

The fox tried many times to get out, but he could not. After some time, a thirsty goat came there. The goat looked into the well and saw the fox.

The fox said, “The water here is very sweet. Come down and drink it.”

The foolish goat believed him and jumped into the well.

Then the clever fox made a plan. He climbed onto the goat’s back and jumped out of the well.

The goat was left alone inside. Then he understood his mistake. He had jumped into the well without thinking about how he would get out.

Moral: Look before you leap.

Expanded Version

Once there was a fox walking through the countryside. It was a hot day, and the fox became very thirsty. While searching for water, he came to a deep well.

The fox looked down into the well. There was cool water at the bottom. He leaned too far over the edge and suddenly slipped. He fell into the well with a splash.

The fox drank some water, but then he had a new problem. The walls of the well were high and smooth. He jumped again and again, but he could not get out.

After some time, a thirsty goat came to the well. The goat looked down and saw the fox.

“What are you doing there?” asked the goat.

The clever fox replied, “The water here is very sweet and cool. Come down and drink. You will enjoy it.”

The foolish goat believed him. Without thinking about how he would get out again, he jumped into the well.

As soon as the goat landed, the fox made a plan. He climbed onto the goat’s back, then onto his horns, and jumped out of the well.

The goat looked up and asked the fox to help him. But the fox said, “You should have thought about how to get out before you jumped in.”

Then the fox walked away, leaving the goat in the well.

Moral: Look before you leap.