The lion, king of the forest, was getting old. He couldn't run like before — couldn't catch a thing. His tummy growled and grumbled! So one day he hatched a plan — “I'll pretend to be sick. Everyone will come visit me. And my dinner will walk into my cave on its own legs! Heh heh!”
Next morning the news flew through the forest — “The king is terribly ill! He can't even leave his cave!” The birds spread the word everywhere. “Oh no! Let's go see him,” said the hare. “I'll bring fruit,” said the squirrel. “And I'll bring honey,” said the bear.
The hare went into the cave — and didn't come back. The squirrel went — she didn't come back either. Thump thump, in went the bear — and even he didn't return! Everyone thought they must have stayed to nurse the king. But here was the odd thing — the “sick” king's roar kept getting LOUDER every day!
Last of all came the fox. Right at the cave mouth, he stopped. He lowered his nose and sniffed — sniff sniff! Footprints! Hare prints, bear prints, squirrel prints — aaall going in. And coming out? Not one! The fox's ears stood straight up — “Hmm! What's going on here?”
From inside the cave came a honey-sweet voice — “Who's there? Brother Fox, is it? Come in, come in! I'm feeling so poorly.” The fox took two steps BACK — “Forgive me, Your Majesty! I see plenty of footprints going in — but not one coming out. So I'll say it from right here — get well soon!”
And off he raced! Through the whole forest he called at the top of his voice — “Listen, everyone! That cave has tracks going IN and none coming OUT! Stay away!” The birds spread the warning from tree to tree. From that day on, nobody ever took that path again.
And the crafty king? He sat in his cave and waited… and waited — but nobody ever came again. No more tricks, no more feasts! And the clever fox? To this day he tells the little ones this story at dusk. And at the end, everyone shouts together — “Look first, think next — then take your step!”