There were two huts on the border of the forest. One of them belonged to the Hare and another one belonged to the Fox. The Hare’s hut was made of birch bark and the Fox’s one was made of ice. The Hare’s hut was very small. It consisted of a single small room where only a stove and a table could be place. The Fox’s hut was very big. It consisted of a lunchroom, a study, a drawing room and a bedroom. The only trouble was that the hut was made of ice and had to melt in spring.
The April came and the Fox had to worry about a new house. She didn’t want to build a hut and decided to take away the Hare’s one.
The Fox came to the Hare’s hut and began to shout loudly: “Fire! Fire! My hut is burning! Give me water!”
The Hare ran out of his hut, looked round and didn’t notice any signs of fire. When he tried to open his hut’s door he discovered that it was locked on the inside. The Hare understood that he was deceived by the Fox.
The Hare knocked at the door and cried helplessly: “Fox, go out! Don’t joke! That won’t do to lay hold of another’s houses!”
“Don’t prevent me sleeping! Otherwise I will go out and eat you in one gulp!”
Poor Hare didn’t sleep at night because it was very cold in the forest. In the morning he decided to go to the Wolf who worked as a policeman.
“Dear Wolf! You are legal agent in our forest! Please help me! The Fox had stolen my hut!
“Don’t worry! I will kick the Fox out of your hut!” the Wolf calmed the Hare.
When they came to the Hare’s hut the Wolf knocked at the door and said: “Fox, open the door! You have stolen the Hare’s hut! Go out, you are arrested!”
The Fox answered: “Who is knocking at the door? The hunter has given me a double-barreled gun and asked me to kill the Wolf. If you are the Wolf you may come in. I will kill you at once.”
The Wolf was frightened to death and rushed to the forest where he soon disappeared.
The Hare was disappointed and decided to call the Bear for help.
The Bear also agreed to help the Hare.
The Fox found out that the Bear agreed to help the Hare to kick her out of the hut and devised what to do. She went to the forest, took down a hornet's nest from the tree and put it on the hut’s porch.
Soon the Fox heard the Bear’s roar: “Fox, go out of the hut! Otherwise I will ruin the hut and kill you!”
At that moment the Bear stepped on the hornet’s nest and screamed from pain. Wasps put their stings into the Bear’s foot and then into his muzzle, neck, ears and even his short tail. It was nothing to do but to escape.
When the Bear ran away the Fox opened the door and said: “Hello, Hare! If you want to return your hut you must call the Lion for help. Let the Lion give you a field gun and a detachment of solders. May be it will help you.”
So, the Fox was able to deceive the Hare for the third time.
The Hare was very sad and decided to go to the Lion. He was walking through the forest and met a brave Cockerel who was a soldier.
“Why are you crying little Hare?” asked the Cockerel.
“The Fox has stolen the hut from me! Now I am homeless! I will have to spend the night in the cold and dark forest.” said the Hare bitterly.
“Don’t be afraid! I will help you” answered the Cockerel.
When they came to the Hare’s hut the Cockerel noticed a big pipe lying on the grass nearby. The Cockerel took it and put it on two big logs.
“Look, this pipe resembles a field gun very much. I think we will be able to deceive the sly Fox.” said the Cockerel to the Hare.
Then the Cockerel began to shout loudly: “Listen my command, soldiers! Fire at this hut!”
The Fox peeped out of the window and saw the big field gun and a soldier dressed in the King's coat.
This time the Fox was very frightened. She believed that the Lion’s army came and soldiers were going to fire at the hut.
So, the Fox ran away and since that nobody has never seen her in the forest. The Cockerel and the Hare became friends and lived in the hut together.
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