A hungry fox moved into the courtyard and made his way into the hen house at the dead of night. He had been waiting for such a chance a long time, because the winter had been hard and cold. Tonight, however, the shadows were dark and the dog was asleep and all the lights were off in the farmer’s house.

The fox made his way into the hen house and reached out for one of the hens to make his fast escape when one of the hens behind him said,

“Pick me! I’m much more plump than her!”

The fox turned around, and thought that it made much more sense to take the best hen if he could only have one. But as soon as he decided to take this hen, another off to one side said,

“Oh no, you don’t want her – so many feathers! I’ll be a much better dinner for you!”

And another,

“Why not me? I’m fatter and juicier than all of them!”

And so the poor fox whirled around and around in circles, trying to decide which to take, until at last the dog woke up and started barking – and the fox never did get his dinner after all.