One fine morning, a man was taking a walk.
"Help me," a voice cried out.
A snake was trapped under a pile of rocks.
"Please help me.
I'm stuck!" begged the snake.
The man shook his head.
"No, because you will eat me!"
"Oh no! I would never eat you!" promised the snake.
The man believed the snake.
So, he helped the snake from under the rocks.
"Ah, now I feel hungry," said the snake.
"You promised not to eat me," said the man.
"Yes, but my stomach didn't," the sly snake hissed.
The man was very afraid.
"Wait! Let's ask the other animals what to do," the man said.
First, the man and the snake met a dog.
They told him the story and asked, "What should we do?"
The dog replied, "I used to hunt rabbits and birds for my master.
But he never gave me good food to eat.
Now I'm old," continued the dog, "and my master wants to kill me."
He looked at the man angrily.
"So I think the snake should eat you!"
Next, they met a horse.
They told him the story and asked, "What should we do?"
The horse replied, "I used to carry things for my master.
Now that I'm old, my master wants to kill me!"
He looked at the man angrily.
"So I think the snake should eat you!"
"See? Two animals say I should eat you," the snake said happily.
"Wait! Let's ask one more animal," begged the man.
"Please, Fox, we have a question to ask."
They told him the story.
"Where did you find the snake?" the fox asked.
The man pointed to the rocks.
"What were you doing?" the fox asked the snake.
"I was here, asking the man for help."
The snake showed them how he got stuck.
"Is that the way you were?" asked the fox.
"Yes, yes! Now get me out."
The snake tried to lift the rocks, but couldn't.
"Then that is how you shall stay," the fox smiled slyly.