Week Seven Storytelling: How The Fox Fell Victim to His Own Deceit

Once upon a time there were three friends. They grew up together and had many happy memories as children. In their eyes, they saw each other as chosen siblings. They hung out every day, shared everything and were constantly at each other's houses.

However, as they grew older, one of the friends, Taylor, grew increasingly jealous of Elizabeth. Sarah was starting to think that her mother liked Elizabeth more and that they were too close. She let this idea fester and grew more and more angry as time went on.

One day, Taylor's mom got very ill. She was dying and as her dying wish, she told the three friends to always treat each other as siblings and to never fight. Each vowed that they would follow that. After she died they were sad, but promised stay friends no matter what. Taylor secretly thought this was her chance. She plotted to end the friendship and bring Elizabeth down for good.

Sarah went to the third friend, Samantha, and filled her ears with lies.

"Elizabeth comes to me and talks bad about you all the time!" Taylor said, "She thinks you're annoying and needy. She told me she's tired of hanging out with you."

(Source)

Hurt and sad, Samantha stopped talking to Elizabeth. She grew increasingly angry by her and couldn't believe that one of her closest childhood friends would say something like that about her.

The next day, Taylor went up to Elizabeth and told her all kinds of lies about Samantha as well.

"Samantha won't stop talking about how much she hates you, Elizabeth," she said, "She doesn't want to be your friend anymore."

Elizabeth was confused and angry, why would Samantha say something like that? They had grown up together, did everything together and always treated each other like sisters. Both Elizabeth and Samantha went along believing the other disliked her. They stopped hanging out and didn't speak much. Taylor was happy, hoping they would fight and end the friendship all together. That way Taylor could get rid of Elizabeth without lifting a finger.

One day, Elizabeth went up to Samantha timidly and said, "Why do you hate me? We've always been sisters and I've been nothing but caring and nice."

"I never hated you! Taylor told me you hated me and didn't want to be my friend anymore!" Samantha exclaimed. Having learned the truth, they planned to teach Taylor a lesson.

The next day Samantha found Taylor and set the plan into action. She sat on the couch next to her and as they watched TV, Samantha guided the conversation Elizabeth.

"She is so annoying," Samantha started, "What did Elizabeth say about me again?" Excited that her plan was working, Taylor started in a long list of cruel things that were completely fabricated. At that moment, Elizabeth walked in, hearing everything.

At that moment, Taylor was stuck. She was lying about Elizabeth to Samantha and Elizabeth had just walked in. Trapped in her web of lies, Elizabeth and Samantha told Taylor they knew about her manipulation and plan. They soon stopped hanging out with her and found more honest friends.

Author's Note. This story is based on How The Fox Fell Victim To His Own Deceit. In the original, basically the same thing happened except with a fox, a wolf and a cow. I changed it to people and altered the ending slightly because in the original they kill the fox in the end… And I thought that was a bit graphic for three girls. I made the girls' names those of my roommates, which was fun to do. But other than that the moral and plot stayed the same.

Bibliography. How The Fox Fell Victim To His Own Deceit from Tibetan Folktales by A.L. Shelton (1925).