A rich man kept a treasure, a dog, and a fox, in addition to a silver ship model. This was a magic amulet that one of the angels had given him—I do not know who. One day, this amulet was stolen!
The Amulet and Ruin:
No one found the amulet in any place. He grieved greatly, to the extent that he lay in bed fasting, even from eating food, and approached death. During that time, the dog and the fox were playing in his room, but after some time, when they saw that the man was about to die of hunger, they actually died of hunger.
The Ghoul and the Lost Amulet:
The fox said to the dog: “If our master dies, we shall die likewise of hunger. Therefore it is better for us to search for the amulet.” Thus they consulted together on the best way to search for it. In their conclusion, the idea occurred to the fox that the ghoul who lives on the peak of the great mountain, existing at the world’s end, is the suspected thief of the amulet and that she hid it in her cage.
Seeking Help from the Rat:
This was also the dog’s idea. Therefore, the two puppies decided to go to the ghoul and retrieve the amulet from her. But they realized that they would not be able to seize it alone, so they decided to call the rat to them. They called the rat, and the three set off, walking happily.
Digging the Tunnel:
The ghoul was continuously observing the rich sick man, waiting for him to die, and did not notice the approach of the fox, the dog, and the rat from him. Therefore, when they reached the ghoul’s house, the rat dug a tunnel with the fox’s assistance, a tunnel leading to inside the house, from which the three entered.
The Scheme:
After that, they decided to search in the halls for the rat to obtain the amulet through a small opening in the box in which it was kept. During that, the rat chewed an opening in the box, entered it, retrieved the amulet, and went out through the tunnel in the ground. Likewise, the boy and the girl disappeared—how?
The Escape:
He could not escape, and he decided to follow them when the door opened and they fled. But he thought for a moment and reached the conclusion that the fox had deceived him once, so there was no benefit from the help, and he did not follow the three small creatures as they fled far away.
Return after Finding the Amulet:
They returned to the village. The two puppies went to their masters’ house, and the rat to the hole. The dog and the fox took the amulet with them and placed it beside their masters’ bed. They began to play near it, two small beautiful animals guarding it with their small spirits. After a long time, the dog raised his head and saw the amulet. He began to rejoice intensely and be confident. After that, the two puppies played. He saw in a dream how they had returned the amulet to him with the rat’s help. Therefore, he began to trust the rat as well.
Loyalty and Kindness:
Thus people should never think evil of the rat, and the fox as well, despite that the dogs pursue him, for he acknowledges kindness with them sometimes, and even when the dog pursues the fox, he does not bite him if he turns his face toward him.