We must all recognize that cooperation is an important value we should learn, acquire, and practice. Especially because this beautiful value can take the form of helping others or helping ourselves by others’ aid to us—all are different forms of cooperation and care in carrying it out. It may ward off some evils from us and, in its wake, send the wicked away. We have long heard that unity is strength and that the many prevail over individual courage alone, making those who cooperate together like a tightly knit building, each part supporting the other, as happened in our story today.
In one small house, the owner had prepared a small coop where he raised some chickens—roosters, beautiful hens, and some chicks too.
All the chickens loved one another, and they loved the owner who raised them and showered them with food and drink. His kind wife also looked after them.
The cunning fox watched the fat chickens from afar. Every day he would stand behind the tree near the coop, examining the place to see if he could find a breach to slip through and devour them all. Oh, what a wonderful meal, the fox dreamed and promised himself the delicious feast of the fine, fat chickens.
After a few days, the cunning fox found a breach in the chicken coop. His face lit up with joy and his heart thrilled at what he would eat—much chicken of excellent flavor. He began to devise his plan, and in the evening headed toward the coop to carry it out.
The plan required the cunning fox to widen a small hole in the coop fence that he had seen, through careful and precise examination. As soon as the owner fell asleep, the fox began to widen the hole with both his hands.
The chickens felt the cunning fox breaking into their beautiful home and all grew tense. They began to think about what they would do to stop this savage attacker; he would surely not hesitate to eat them all until his belly was completely full.
The rooster tried to crow loudly, but his voice did not reach the owner. The fox had widened the hole a little, and with time would be able to reach his goal. So the rooster asked all the chickens in the coop to all cry out together, continuously and at the top of their voices. That way the owner would hear them and come running.
Indeed, the rooster signaled to all the chickens inside the coop, and they all cried out at once, confusing the cunning fox. He began to be astonished by this behavior—why were they crying out like that continuously and so loudly? But he told himself that there was only one step left between him and them, and the opening would widen enough for his body to enter.
The owner heard the chickens’ cries and sensed something was wrong, so he grabbed his gun and went out to them. He found the fox just about to enter. He fired his gun into the air, and the fox, terrified, fled before the owner could kill him. The owner went to the chickens to reassure them, and his wife, following in his concern, told him that the chickens, when they cooperated together, had been able to save themselves and their children from a fate that nearly destroyed them.