The little girl Salamā lost her doll. She searched for it in the field, among the trees, near the waterway, and in every place, but did not find it. On the way, she asked a sparrow and said: “Did you see my doll, O sparrow?” The sparrow shook its head and flew away. Salamā walked, weeping near a pond when a turtle emerged. She asked her: “Did you see my doll, O turtle?” The turtle said: “Doll, I do not understand anything you ask about.” It dived into the water.
Then the little girl asked a hedgehog sitting under a tree: “Did you see my doll, O hedgehog?” He said to her: “And how did you lose your doll, O intelligent little girl?” Then he said: “No harm to you; I will help you search for it.” Near a tree, and before she reached her home, she saw a fox. He smiled and said: “No doubt you are searching for your doll. It is with me. I found it among the trees and kept it so that I might return it to you.” The little girl said: “Did you truly find it, O fox? Did you find it?” He said calmly as he looked at her face: “Yes, I found it.”
The little girl said: “Then return it to me, O fox. It is my doll that I cherish and love.” The fox said by nature: “I will return it to you.” The fox fell silent while smiling, then said: “I love cooperation, O sweet one.” The little girl said: “Very good, O fox. I too love cooperation. Give me my doll first.” He said: “Do not hasten, O sweet one. I will give you your doll, but something for something.” The little girl said: “By all means, by all means, O fox.” She said: “What are your requests, O fox?” He said: “Frankly, I want the key to your chicken coop.” She said: “Fine, O fox. Very simple. Bring the doll and I will go to the house and bring the key for you.”
After a short period, Salamā received her doll, and the fox received the key from her. At night, when the sky was illuminated by a small crescent, the fox headed to Salamā’s house. He was very happy, and with himself he was talking, saying: “The key is in my hand. The coop’s chickens have become in my hand. All the coop’s chickens have become in my belly.” He continued his talk happily: “O father of two tricks, it is a new toy, a profitable scheme that did not occur to the cleverest of foxes.” The fox approached the house, crossed the fence of the garden, advanced to the chicken coop, and tried to open the coop, saying with all confidence: “Open, O Sesame.” But the lock did not open. He tried again and another, and tried multiple times.
He whispered to himself: “What has happened?” He looked at the key, then a chicken from inside the coop said to him with a mocking tone: “In vain you attempt to open the lock, O fox, because Salamā gave you a key for another lock, as she told us a little while ago. Another key? What do you say, O chicken?” The chickens burst into loud laughter.