A fox tried hard to get a roosting Hen out of a tree but the Hen knew better than to come down to her doom. Good show.
Beware of interested friendships.
[Note: These fables are basically the same as those on the page The Hen and The Fox (Barn) which have the Hen in a barn rather than a tree.]
Aesop For Children (The Cock and the Fox)
One bright evening as the sun was sinking on a glorious world a wise old Cock flew into a tree to roost. Before he composed himself to rest, he flapped his wings three times and crowed loudly. But just as he was about to put his head under his wing, his beady eyes caught a flash of red and a glimpse of a long pointed nose, and there just below him stood Master Fox.
“Have you heard the wonderful news?” cried the Fox in a very joyful and excited manner.
“What news?” asked the Cock very calmly. But he had a queer, fluttery feeling inside him, for, you know, he was very much afraid of the Fox.
“Your family and mine and all other animals have agreed to forget their differences and live in peace and friendship from now on forever. Just think of it! I simply cannot wait to embrace you! Do come down, dear friend, and let us celebrate the joyful event.”
“How grand!” said the Cock. “I certainly am delighted at the news.” But he spoke in an absent way, and stretching up on tiptoes, seemed to be looking at something afar off.
“What is it you see?” asked the Fox a little anxiously.
“Why, it looks to me like a couple of Dogs coming this way. They must have heard the good news and—”
But the Fox did not wait to hear more. Off he started on a run.
“Wait,” cried the Cock. “Why do you run? The Dogs are friends of yours now!”
“Yes,” answered the Fox. “But they might not have heard the news. Besides, I have a very important errand that I had almost forgotten about.”
The Cock smiled as he buried his head in his feathers and went to sleep, for he had succeeded in outwitting a very crafty enemy.
Moral
The trickster is easily tricked.
Samuel Croxall (The Cock and the Fox)
A COCK, being perched among the branches of a lofty tree, crowed aloud, so that the shrillness of his voice echoed through the wood, and invited a Fox to the place, who was prowling in that neighbourhood, in quest of his prey. But Reynard, finding the Cock was inaccessible, by reason of the height of his situation, had recourse to stratagem, in order to decoy him down; so, approaching the tree, Cousin, says he, I am heartily glad to see you; but at the same time, I cannot forbear expressing my uneasiness at the inconvenience of the place, which will not let me pay my respects to you in a handsomer manner; though I suppose you will come down presently, and so that difficulty is easily removed. Indeed, Cousin, says the Cock, to tell you the truth, I do not think it safe to venture upon the ground; for though I am convinced how much you are my friend, yet I may have the misfortune to fall into the clutches of some other beast, and what will become of me then? O dear, says Reynard, is it possible that you can be so ignorant, as not to know of the peace that has been lately proclaimed between all kind of birds and beasts; and that we are, for the future, to forbear hostilities on all sides, and to live in the utmost love and harmony, and that, under penalty of suffering the severest punishment that can be afflicted: All this while, the Cock seemed to give little attention to what was said, but stretched out his neck, as if he saw something at a distance. Cousin, says the Fox, what is it that you look at so earnestly: Why, says the Cock, I think I see a pack of Hounds yonder, a little way off. O then, says the Fox, your humble servant, I must be gone. Nay, pray Cousin, do not go, says the Cock, I am just coming down; sure you are not afraid of dogs in these peaceable times. No, no, says he; but ten to one whether they have heard of the proclamation yet.
THE APPLICATION
It is a very agreeable thing to see craft repelled by cunning; more especially to behold the snares of the wicked, broken and defeated by the discreet management of the innocent. The moral of this fable principally puts us in mind, not to be too credulous towards the insinuations of those, who are already distinguished by their want of faith and honesty. When therefore any such would draw us into a compliance with their destructive measures, by a pretended civility and extraordinary concern for our interest, we should consider such proposals in their true light, as a bait artfully placed to conceal the fatal hook which is intended to draw us into captivity and thraldom. An honest man, with a little plain sense, may do a thousand advantageous things for the public good, and without being master of much address or rhetoric, as easily convince people that his designs are intended for their welfare: but a wicked, designing politician, though he has a tongues eloquent as ever spoke, may sometimes be disappointed in his projects, and be foiled in his schemes; especially when their destructive texture is so coarsely spun, and the threads of mischief are so large in them, as to be felt even by those whose senses are scarce perfect enough to see and understand them.
Thomas Bewick (The Cock and The Fox)
A Cock, perched upon a lofty tree, crowed so loud, that his voice echoed through the wood, and drew to the place a Fox, who was prowling in quest of prey. But Reynard finding the Cock was inaccessible, had recourse to stratagem to decoy him down. Approaching the tree, Cousin, says he, I am heartily glad to see you; but I cannot forbear expressing my uneasiness at the inconvenience of the place, which will not let me pay my respects to you in a better manner, though I suppose you will come down presently, and that difficulty will be removed. Indeed, cousin, says the Cock, to tell you the truth, I do not think it safe to venture upon the ground; for, though I am convinced how much you are my friend, yet I may have the misfortune to fall into the clutches of some other beast, and what will become of me then? O dear, says Reynard, is it possible you do not know of the peace that has been so lately proclaimed between all kinds of birds and beasts; and that we are for the future to forbear hostilities, and to live in harmony, under the severest penalties. All this while the Cock seemed to give little attention to what was said, but stretched out his neck as if he saw something at a distance. Cousin, says the Fox, what is that you look at so earnestly? Why, says the Cock, I think I see a pack of hounds yonder, a good way off. O then, says the Fox, your humble servant, I must be gone. Nay, pray cousin do not go, says the Cock, I am just coming down; sure you are not afraid of the dogs in these peaceable times. No, no, says he; but ten to one whether they have yet heard of the proclamation!
APPLICATION.
The moral of this Fable principally instructs us not to be too credulous in believing the insinuations of those who are already distinguished by their want of faith and honesty, for perfidious people ought ever to be suspected in the reports that favour their own interest. When, therefore, any such would draw us into a compliance with their destructive measures, by a pretended civility, or plausible relation, we should consider such proposals as a bait, artfully placed to conceal some fatal hook, which is intended to draw us into danger; and if by any simple counterplot we can unmask the design and defeat the schemes of the wicked, it will not only be innocent, but praise-worthy.
JBR Collection (The Cock and The Fox)
A Cock, perched among the branches of a lofty tree, crowed aloud. The shrillness of his voice echoed through the wood, and the well-known note brought a Fox, who was prowling in quest of prey, to the spot. Reynard, seeing the Cock was at a great height, set his wits to work to find some way of bringing him down. He saluted the bird in his mildest voice, and said, “Have you not heard, cousin, of the proclamation of universal peace and harmony among all kinds of beasts and birds? We are no longer to prey upon and devour one another, but love and friendship are to be the order of the day. Do come down, and we will talk over this great news at our leisure.” The Cock, who knew that the Fox was only at his old tricks, pretended to be watching something in the distance, and the Fox asked him what it was he looked at so earnestly.” “Why,” said the Cock, “I think I see a pack of Hounds yonder.” “Oh, then,” said the Fox, “your humble servant; I must be gone.” “Nay, cousin,” said the Cock; “pray do not go: I am just coming down. You are surely not afraid of Dogs in these peaceable times!” “No, no,” said the Fox; “but ten to one whether they have heard of the proclamation yet.”