A completing story showing that we should think of the consequences before we act.

The story begins: Once a thirsty fox was wandering through a dry field in search of water. He came upon an old well and, without thinking, leaned over to drink...

The Story

One hot afternoon a fox was roaming through the countryside. The sun was burning and his throat was dry, so he searched everywhere for a little water.

After a long walk he found an old well by the side of a field. He looked down and saw cool water shining far below. He was very happy at the sight.

Without thinking about how he would climb back up, the fox jumped straight into the well. He drank as much water as he wanted and felt refreshed.

But when he tried to come out, he found that the walls were high and smooth. He could not climb them at all. He was now trapped inside the deep well.

After some time a thirsty goat came to the same well. Seeing the fox, the goat asked whether the water was sweet and good to drink.

The clever fox hid his fear and praised the water greatly. He urged the goat to jump in and enjoy it. Believing him, the foolish goat leaped down at once.

As soon as the goat was inside, the fox climbed onto its back, sprang up to the edge, and escaped. From the top he laughed at the trapped goat.

The poor goat now understood its mistake. It had jumped in without thinking, just as the fox had done, and now it had to suffer alone in the well.

Moral: Look before you leap.