Wise Choices & Clever Thinking | Classic Folktales for Kids | Little Fox

0:00 Little Fox.

0:05 [music]

0:07 Once an old woman lived with her son and his wife.

0:14 [music]

0:13 The woman was blind and the family was very poor.

0:19 Yet each day the old woman prayed to a god.

0:25 Then one morning that god himself appeared before her.

0:30 Old woman, you are thoughtful and kind.

0:35 You pray every day.

0:38 I would like to reward this goodness, so I have decided to grant you a wish.

0:46 What?

0:47 The old woman couldn't believe what she was hearing.

0:51 But she bit her lip.

0:54 I don't know what to wish for.

0:58 I understand.

0:59 The god said.

1:00 [music] Talk to your son and his wife.

1:05 Surely they can help you decide what to choose.

1:08 I will return tomorrow.

1:11 [music]

1:14 The old woman hurried to her son.

1:15 [music] A god came to me.

1:18 He said he will grant me one wish, but what should I ask for?

1:23 The son's face lit up.

1:26 Our roof is leaking and our clothes are thin.

1:29 Our rice spot is empty.

1:31 Mother, you must [music] ask for wealth.

1:36 Hmm.

1:37 The old woman nodded slowly.

1:39 Maybe.

1:43 Next she went to her son's wife.

1:46 A god came to me.

1:48 He said he will grant me one wish, but what should I ask for?

1:54 The younger woman's face lit up.

1:57 You must ask for a baby, [music] a beautiful grandson.

2:02 Hmm.

2:03 The old woman nodded slowly, but she still felt unsure.

2:09 She went to visit a neighbor.

2:12 A god says he will grant me one wish, but what should I ask for?

2:20 [laughter]

2:19 The neighbor laughed.

2:21 Why, you must ask him for sight, of course.

2:24 Just think.

2:26 You could see the blue sky [music] and tall mountains again.

2:31 The old woman nodded.

2:35 But back at home she paced across the floor.

2:40 To make my son happy I must ask for wealth, she [music] thought.

2:46 To make his wife happy I must ask for a grandson.

2:52 To make myself happy I must ask for sight.

2:57 But [music] I have just one wish.

3:00 How can I make everyone happy?

3:04 The next morning the god [music] appeared.

3:08 Well, old woman, it's time.

3:11 What is your wish?

3:17 [laughter]

3:17 The old woman took a deep breath.

3:19 She was ready.

3:21 I wish to see my grandson drinking milk from [music] a golden bowl.

3:28 What?

3:31 The god laughed loudly.

3:34 You clever old woman.

3:36 You turned one wish into three.

3:44 Oh.

3:45 And so the wise old woman [music] made everyone happy.

3:51 She prayed for the rest of her days thankful for these gifts.

3:55 [music] One day [music] Ali went to a dinner party at his friend's house.

4:12 There were four guests including Ali.

4:17 Two of them were merchants.

4:21 And the third was a government official.

4:25 Ali did not know the merchants, but he recognized the government official.

4:33 People said that this man was dishonest and a thief.

4:38 [music]

4:40 But Ali was wise and did not believe everything he heard.

4:47 The men were hungry.

4:51 [music]

4:54 As they waited for dinner they chatted pleasantly.

4:59 [music]

5:01 Ali's friend served many delicious things to [music] eat.

5:05 There was soup, rice, meats, and many kinds of fruit.

5:13 But when it was time to eat Ali's friend excused himself.

5:22 I am sorry.

5:24 Said the host.

5:26 But my son was in a terrible accident.

5:29 I must go to him so I cannot eat with you.

5:34 Please enjoy yourselves and eat freely.

5:36 I only ask that you pray for my son.

5:41 The host left with those words.

5:45 Before they ate the guests all prayed to Allah.

5:50 The government official sat next to Ali.

5:54 He was eating very fast.

5:56 [music] He was stuffing his mouth and his pockets with food.

6:05 [music]

6:04 He filled his pockets with everything he could reach.

6:10 [music]

6:09 The two merchants stared at the government official.

6:13 They were shocked by his behavior.

6:16 They were strangers to this town.

6:19 So they did not say anything to the rude official.

6:26 Ali quietly picked up a teapot.

6:32 [music]

6:31 He poured tea into the man's pocket.

6:36 The man started shouting at Ali.

6:41 What are you doing?

6:42 Are you crazy?

6:43 He said angrily.

6:47 Excuse me.

6:48 Answered Ali.

6:51 I saw that your pockets were hungry.

6:52 I thought they might be thirsty, too.

6:58 [music]

6:57 The government official was embarrassed and said nothing more.

7:02 [music]

7:09 Long ago in Baghdad lived a merchant named Ali.

7:14 As a good Muslim he decided to make a pilgrimage to Mecca.

7:20 [music]

7:20 Knowing this journey would take a long time he

7:22 sold all of his belongings and rented out his house.

7:27 His life savings of a thousand gold coins was too heavy to travel [music] with.

7:32 So he placed the coins in a large jar and covered them with olives.

7:38 After [music] sealing the jar he took it to a neighbor who was also a merchant.

7:44 My friend, I will leave for Mecca tomorrow.

7:47 May I store these olives with you until I return?

7:52 The merchant, whose name was Mahid, handed Ali a key.

7:56 Put your jar anywhere in my warehouse.

7:59 It will be safe and untouched until you return.

8:04 Ali's journey took much longer than he had expected.

8:08 After Mecca he traveled further exploring the wonders of the region.

8:14 Soon seven years had passed.

8:18 Mahid had forgotten all about Ali until one evening over dinner.

8:23 How delicious some olives would be.

8:26 Mahid's wife remarked.

8:28 Actually, we have some.

8:30 Remember the jar Ali left with us?

8:33 He has been gone so long that I doubt he will ever come back.

8:36 I will check to see if the olives are still edible.

8:41 Olives cannot keep for seven years.

8:44 Besides, you shouldn't break your promise to Ali.

8:47 Mahid gave in for the moment.

8:49 But later that evening while his wife

8:51 was asleep he sneaked [music] into the warehouse.

8:58 Opening the jar he saw that the olives at the top were moldy.

9:03 But then something shiny caught his eye.

9:09 Gold, he greedily [music] whispered.

9:13 The next day he emptied the jar of the gold,

9:15 filled it with fresh olives, and resealed it.

9:20 Ali returned the following month and retrieved his jar from Mahid.

9:27 To his dismay he found no gold.

9:30 He angrily went to Mahid.

9:32 Mahid, however, denied stealing the gold.

9:36 You placed the jar in my warehouse yourself.

9:39 You retrieved it and it was still sealed.

9:42 How dare [music] you say I committed a crime?

9:47 Ali decided to take his complaint to a judge.

9:51 Not knowing how to resolve the dispute the judge sent Ali away.

9:59 Ali was determined to get his gold back.

10:02 He wrote to the caliph, the ruler of Baghdad, who agreed to hear the case.

10:09 [music]

10:09 Meanwhile, news of Ali and Mahid's dispute had spread throughout Baghdad.

10:14 The caliph was angry that the judge had done nothing.

10:19 But the caliph, too, was puzzled by the evidence.

10:23 The night before the hearing,

10:25 the caliph and his advisor walked through the city.

10:29 They soon came upon some children acting out a courtroom scene.

10:34 One boy pretended to be the caliph.

10:37 Bring me the olives.

10:39 He demanded to another boy who was pretending to be Ali.

10:45 The pretend Ali placed an invisible jar before the pretend caliph.

10:49 The child caliph pretended to eat an olive.

10:53 Delicious, but olives cannot keep for 7 years.

10:58 Summon an olive merchant to give testimony on this matter.

11:02 The pretend caliph ordered.

11:05 At this, the real caliph realized the answer he had been seeking.

11:09 Bring this boy to me tomorrow.

11:12 And remind the real Ali to bring his jar of olives.

11:16 He whispered to his advisor.

11:18 Bring an olive merchant as well.

11:22 The next day, Ali and Mahid stood before the caliph.

11:27 The child caliph was nearby.

11:31 Today, this child shall hear your case and give you a fair verdict.

11:35 The caliph said.

11:37 Ali and Mahid both pleaded their [music] case to the child,

11:40 who seemed uninterested.

11:43 Then the child called the olive merchant.

11:48 Taste an olive.

11:50 The child instructed.

11:52 The olive merchant was irritated at being given orders by a child.

11:56 He looked to the real caliph, who nodded approvingly.

12:02 And so the merchant tasted [music] an olive.

12:06 Does it taste like a 7-year-old olive?

12:09 The child [music] asked.

12:11 No.

12:12 Olives lose their color and turn rotten after 3 years.

12:15 The merchant replied.

12:18 These olives are fresh.

12:21 The boy pointed at Mahid.

12:23 You are lying, sir.

12:25 These olives are new, and you have stolen Ali's gold.

12:31 Mahid panicked, for he knew the punishment for thieves was harsh.

12:35 Then he confessed and begged for mercy from the real caliph.

12:40 The caliph ordered Mahid to give back Ali's gold.

12:44 Then he rewarded the child with 100 gold

12:46 coins and sent him to replace the useless judge.

12:51 [music]