The Trap
A. Gautam
Once, a tiger was caught in a trap. He could not get out of it. Then, he saw a man walking by. He begged the man to help him. He promised he would not eat the man. So, the man freed him.
Then, the tiger opened his mouth wide to eat the man. The man begged for his life. The tiger said, “If you can get anyone to help you, I will not eat you.”
So, the man asked a tree to help him. The tree would not move. The man asked the road to help him. The road would not move. So, the man asked a fox to help him. The fox wanted to show he was cleverer than the tiger so he agreed to help the man. The man and the fox went to see the tiger.
“The man is lying,” the fox said. “He said that he was in a trap, and you helped him.”
“No,” the tiger said. “I was in a trap, and he helped me.”
“That cannot be true,” the fox said. “How can such a powerful tiger be in a trap? Now, you are lying.”
“This is how I was caught,” the tiger said, getting himself trapped again. “I was not lying.”
“And so you will remain,” the fox said.
The Clever Fox
A. Gautam
Once, a fox met a cat. He was telling the cat about how many clever tricks he knew. The fox said, "Each trick helps me escape from enemies."
“I have only one,” the cat said. “It really helps me, though.”
Then, a pack of hounds came towards the cat and the fox. The cat hurried up the tree and hid himself.
“This is my plan,” the cat said. “What will you do?”
The fox thought of one idea then another. While the fox thought about what to do, the hounds came nearer and nearer. Then, they ate the fox.
How are the overall ideas in “The Trap” and “The Clever Fox” the same?
A In both stories, a character that is cleverer is safe.
B In both stories, a character that is trapped escapes.
C In both stories, a character that is helpful is rewarded.
D In both stories, a character that is boastful is eaten.