The Cock Who Trusted Cats
Once upon a time, at the edge of an old forest where cool waters flowed, there lived a proud rooster. This rooster, with his bright feathers and his loud voice, was the most arrogant resident of the neighborhood. Every morning he climbed onto the roof and sang songs, feeling like a king. The cunning cats of the forest watched his arrogant manners from afar with great attention. In the end the cats decided to use the rooster's naive pride and to set an unforgettable trap for him. One day the leader of the cats came close to the rooster and bowed with great respect. “O mighty rooster, it is surely unfair that a splendid lord like you walks on the ground,” he said.
The cats brought a decorated wooden palanquin and said that they wanted to carry him like a king. When the rooster heard these words full of praise, he puffed out his chest with pride. Without thinking at all, he settled into the decorated palanquin and let the cats carry him. The cats took the rooster on their shoulders and began to move merrily through the streets of the village. While the rooster greeted the villagers from up high, he did not notice at all where the cats were going. Slowly they moved away from the settlement and entered a hidden and dark forest path. When the road reached a lonely place, the sweet smile on the face of the cats suddenly disappeared.
The cats suddenly put the palanquin down on the ground and surrounded the rooster. The rooster, who could not understand what was happening, began to shout and to beat his wings with fear. But the cunning cats jumped on the poor rooster without giving him the chance to escape. The rooster, a victim of his own arrogance, understood the danger behind the sweet words much too late. So the rooster who believed the false praise became a tasty supper for the cunning cats. Those who believe the sweet words and the false respect of the enemy are dragged into a great disaster in the end. Do not think that everyone who smiles at your face is a friend, nor that everyone who speaks sweetly is a companion.