Problem solving story: Once upon a time a small rabbit outfoxes a fox and her friends

One day a little rabbit named Tom went on an adventure. While on his adventure he traveled too far and got lost. Tom, unsure how to find his way back home wondered what he should do. Finally, he decided that it would be the best option to walk along the stream of the river close by, and that way he would for sure run into someone who would be able to tell him where he was and give directions on where he needed to go. As Tom walked along the stream, he spotted an animal approaching. To his dismay, it was a fox. Remembering his parents’ warnings about foxes, he began to tremble. Gathering all his courage, he greeted the fox and asked if she knew in which direction his home might be. The fox stared at him thoughtfully, then remarked that she didn’t but would do everything she could to help him find his home as probably everyone there was worried about what had happened to him. Tom was confused about the fox and if her worrying was really genuine or if was it a rouse. Tom explained that he lived with his parents, his uncles and aunts, his grandparents, and his numerous brothers and sisters. His home was very big as more than 100 rabbits lived there so it should be easy to find his home for someone who knows the forest very well. Hearing this, the fox grew interested and said that she knew the forest like the fur on her back and that they would together find Tom’s home in no time. Right, as they were about to leave the spot where they met a wolf appeared.

He saw the little rabbit and immediately moved to pounce on him. Before he could, the fox intervened, telling the wolf to stop. The wolf hesitated, looking at the fox in surprise. She quickly explained that Tom had lost his way and needed to be taken back to his home, where his entire family, his parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and siblings were waiting for him. And so, the three set off, with Tom leading the way, the fox and the wolf following him, making sure that the little rabbit was “safe”. Although Tom was scared, he decided not to let the wolf or the fox see his fear. They hadn’t gone far when a bear appeared from behind a tree. The bear reached out his paw, ready to grab Tom, but the fox stopped him. She explained the entire situation, pointing out that Tom’s large family would be worried about him and that they could all escort Tom to his home and meet his entire family. As they continued, Tom grew more and more uneasy. He wondered what he could do to escape, especially now that there was not just a fox and a wolf, but also a bear on his trail. The group soon reached the edge of the forest, passing by a farm. As they approached, the fox grew anxious. The farmyard was home to a large dog named Max, who had unsettled business with her. She moved cautiously along the edge of the farm, looking around to ensure Max wasn’t nearby. Instead of encountering the dog, they stumbled upon a gang of misfits, a weasel, a badger, a skunk, and a lynx. The misfits took an interest in the situation immediately. After hearing the full story they said they felt sorry for Tom and insisted they wanted to make sure he found his way home. The bear suggested that they don’t have to come, that they can rest right where they are, and that he would return later and tell them how it all worked out. But the lynx disagreed. He declared that they should also learn where Tom’s home is so that they could help him in the future if he ever gets lost again.

Tom was now surrounded by so many wild animals that wanted to eat and not meet his family that he was terrified. After walking for some time one of the animals asked Tom if the surroundings were beginning to look familiar. And just like that Tom had an idea. With great effort, he steadied himself and said that he didn’t recognize anything and was certain he would never find his way home. He suggested that they would have to settle for eating him instead, even though there wasn’t much of him to go around. He added that the only question left was which one of them would get to eat him first. The bear growled, blaming the fox for leading them on such a wild goose chase. The lynx remarked that a bunny was better than nothing, while the wolf complained that it wouldn’t even take him a minute to finish Tom. The skunk argued that it should be him, while the weasel reminded everyone not to forget about her. The badger laughed, saying it was obvious that the little rabbit belonged to him. And just like that an argument broke out among the animals, just as Tom hoped it would. As they growled and snapped at one another, Tom proposed a solution. He would count to three, and the strongest among them could have him, while the rest would leave empty-handed. The animals, eager to prove themselves, agreed.

Tom began counting loudly. As soon as he reached three, the animals leaped at one another, snarling and fighting. The bear tackled the skunk, the lynx pounced on the wolf, and the weasel fought with the badger. Chaos erupted. While the animals were busy fighting, Tom seized his chance to escape. He ran as fast as he could, not daring to look back. Tom had almost made it past the farm when the fox caught up to him. She grabbed him and praised him for his cleverness but told him it hadn’t been clever enough. She announced that he would now be her dinner. Tom was trembling with fear when, suddenly, a loud voice commanded the fox to stop. It was Max, the big dog from the farm. He reminded the fox that she still owed him a debt. The fox tried to bargain, offering Tom in exchange, but Max refused. He said she would pay with a beating instead. Tom didn’t wait to see what would happen next. He bolted away, running across the field, through the forest, and over the underbrush until he finally reached his burrow. Once there, Tom cautiously looked around to make sure no wild animals had followed him. Seeing the coast was clear, he sighed in relief. At that moment, his father hopped out of the burrow and called his name. Tom’s father explained how worried everyone had been and asked if anything had happened to him. Tom thought for a moment. Then, with a wiggle of his ears, he said that nothing had happened, he was just on an adventure.