There was a fox and there was a crane. The two became friends.
“Crane-brother, we have become friends. You come to my place tomorrow to dine; we will eat together and talk a lot.”
The crane went to the fox’s place to dine. The fox served kheer in a plate.
“Eat, Crane-brother, don’t be shy…”
But the plate was shallow, and the crane’s straight, pointed beak! How can it be eaten?
The crane could not eat. He felt foolish at heart. Inside, he became truly annoyed with the fox. In his mind, he decided to teach the fox a lesson.
“Just on seeing the kheer I felt upset. Now you come to my place tomorrow to dine.”
The next day the fox reached the crane’s place. The crane had also made kheer.
The crane presented the kheer in tall, narrow-mouthed jars.
“Eat the kheer!”
The fox wished to eat the kheer, but into the narrow-mouthed jar the fox’s mouth would not enter at all…
(The crane) made a fool of the fox. Forgetting his mischief, the fox left the crane, (saying) “The aroma of the kheer alone has filled my stomach. Now I am not hungry.”
When the fox made a fool of the crane, the crane, by such a turn, made a fool of the fox. Forgetting his mischief, the fox left the crane and went away.
