Nuts or Stones - Finny learns a good lesson

One day Finny fox was very hungry. He looked longingly at the bunch of juicy grapes hanging from the grape vine. He had tried to jump and grab the grapes several times in the past but they were too high. Today he was determined to eat the grapes. He sat below the tree and thought hard. Just then he noticed Monty squirrel running here and there looking for nuts to eat.

Finny fox's face lit up with hope. He called out to Monty squirrel “Hello! You seem to be busy looking for something”.

"Yes" replied Monty Squirrel. “I am looking for some nuts to eat”.

"I can help you" said Finny fox. "I know a place where there is a heap of nuts".

"Really? That is so nice of you" said Monty squirrel. "Please tell me where this place is".

"Not so fast" said Finny fox drumming his fingers on the ground. "First, you need to do something for me".

"Sure, what is it?" asked Monty squirrel.

"Bring me the juicy grapes hanging from the vine. After I have had my full, I will tell you where you can find the nuts" said Finny fox

"Sure, I will be happy to do this for you" said Monty squirrel.

He ran up to the branch where the grapes were hanging. He plucked two grapes for he could not carry more than that in his tiny paws. He then ran down to Finny fox who was sitting impatiently under the tree.

Monty squirrel had to run up and down the tree several times bringing the grapes to Finny fox who would eat them in no time.

After the whole bunch of grapes was eaten, Finny fox casually got up and started to walk away.

"Wait! I have brought you all the grapes as you asked. Now please tell me where I can find the pile of nuts" cried Monty squirrel anxiously.

"Oh, I quite forgot" said Finny fox with a cunning smile. "It is there by the riverside. Come, I will show you".

Monty squirrel hopped on to the river side but all he saw there was a pile of small white pebbles.

"These are not nuts. These are just pebbles" cried Monty squirrel in despair.

"Oh really? In the forest where I come from, we call them nuts" said Finny fox and walked away.

Monty squirrel understood that he had been cheated. He decided to teach Finny fox a lesson.

After a couple of weeks, he saw Finny fox again.

"Brother, are you looking for some more grapes?" asked Monty squirrel.

"Yes" replied Finny fox.

"Well, the grapes are not yet ripe. Would you like some nuts instead?  asked Monty squirrel.

"Sure" replied Finny fox.

"These are special nuts that you have never eaten. Please sit with your eyes closed. Only then you can enjoy the taste fully" said Monty squirrel.

The greedy fox closed his eyes and waited eagerly for the nuts. Monty squirrel brought some pebbles and put them in Finny fox's mouth saying "Be sure to chew them hard as they are dry and crisp" and climbed back to the tree.

Finny fox bit hard onto the pebbles and cried in pain.

"Phoo!" he spit them out. "These are nothing but pebbles!"

"Pebbles?" asked Monty squirrel, from the tree "After our last meeting, I remembered, we also call them nuts here. Thank you for reminding me".

Finny fox walked away shame faced.


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