DER FUCHS UND DIE TROMMEL
by Friedrich Giese · from Türkische Märchen
Adapted Version
A fox lived in a green forest. His name was Foxy. Foxy was very, very hungry. He walked in the forest. He looked for food. He wanted to eat something good.
Foxy sees Roo the Rooster. Roo is a big, colorful bird. Roo has many bright feathers. Roo walks very proudly. Foxy wants to catch Roo. Foxy wants to eat Roo. Roo is good food for Foxy.
Foxy hides in a thick bush. He waits for Roo. He wants to jump on Roo. He waits for the right time. He is very quiet. Roo does not see him.
Suddenly, a very loud sound comes. It comes from a tall tree. A big drum hangs there. The Big Drum makes a loud sound. It is a very big sound. The sound is very strange. It goes 'BOOM! BOOM!'
Foxy hears the loud sound. He thinks it is a very big animal. He thinks it is big food. This food must be very, very good. He thinks it is better than Roo. He wants the big food now.
Foxy forgets Roo. He leaves his hiding spot. He runs to the tall tree. He runs to The Big Drum. He wants the big food now.
Roo sees Foxy leave. Roo runs away fast, fast. Roo is safe now. Roo is very lucky.
Foxy climbs the tall tree. He climbs and climbs. It is hard work for Foxy. His paws get tired. He wants the big food.
Foxy reaches The Big Drum. He bites The Big Drum hard. He breaks it open. He uses his sharp teeth.
The Big Drum is empty. It has no food inside. It is just dry wood. It is just old skin. Foxy sees nothing to eat.
Foxy feels very sad. The loud sound fooled him. He lost his real food, Roo. Roo is gone now. Foxy is still very hungry. He made a bad choice.
Foxy is sad. He learns a lesson. Big sounds can be empty. Look for real things. Do not be fooled.
Original Story
43. DER FUCHS UND DIE TROMMEL
Ein Fuchs streifte in einem Walde umher. Von der Macht des Hungers getrieben suchte er überall in Gedanken nach Nahrung. Er kam gerade in die Nähe eines Baumes, an den man eine Trommel gehängt hatte. Bei jedem Windstoße wurde ein Zweig des Baumes in Bewegung gesetzt, der auf die Trommel schlug, wodurch ein schrecklicher Laut ertönte. Der Fuchs sah einen Hahn, der auf dem Kopf einen Kamm wie eine Kaiserkrone trug, ein Gefieder wie ein Pfau hatte und stolz und majestätisch auf einer Wiese einherstolzierte.
Der Fuchs verbarg sich in einem Winkel im Hinterhalte und wartete auf den Augenblick, wo er ihn erbeuten konnte. Da schlug plötzlich der Ton der Trommel an sein Ohr. Der Fuchs schaute hin und sah einen merkwürdigen Körper, von dem ein schrecklicher Ton ausging. Seine Freßbegier regte ihn auf und gab ihm den Gedanken ein, daß das Fleisch und Fett dieses Gegenstandes seiner Stimme gleich sein müßten. Sogleich verließ er das Versteck, wo er auf den Hahn lauerte, und ging auf den Baum zu. Als der Hahn dies merkte, brachte er sich in Sicherheit. Der Fuchs erstieg mit vieler Anstrengung den Baum und zerriß mit gierigem Zahn die Trommel, aber er fand sie innen leer und außen trockenes Holz und Fell. Das Feuer der Gier verbrannte sein Herz und das Wasser der Reue floß ihm in Strömen aus den Augen, und er sagte: „Schade, daß ich mich durch diese inhaltslose Form habe täuschen und mich durch diesen trügerischen Gedanken von meiner anständigen Beute habe abbringen lassen.“
Story DNA
Moral
Do not be deceived by outward appearances or loud boasts, for they often hide emptiness.
Plot Summary
A hungry fox spots a magnificent rooster and plans to catch it for food. As the fox prepares its ambush, a loud, terrifying sound from a drum hanging on a tree distracts it. Believing the source of such a sound must be a substantial meal, the fox abandons the rooster to investigate the drum. After much effort, the fox tears open the drum only to find it empty, filled with regret for being deceived by the sound and losing its real prey.
Themes
Emotional Arc
anticipation to disappointment
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Friedrich Giese was a German writer, and this fable reflects common themes found in European folklore.
Plot Beats (11)
- A hungry fox searches for food in a forest.
- The fox sees a proud, magnificent rooster and plans to catch it.
- The fox hides, waiting for the right moment to pounce on the rooster.
- A loud, terrifying sound emanates from a drum hanging on a tree, struck by a branch in the wind.
- The fox, intrigued and misled by the sound, believes the source must be a large, meaty creature.
- The fox abandons its ambush on the rooster and approaches the tree with the drum.
- The rooster, noticing the fox's change of target, escapes to safety.
- The fox laboriously climbs the tree.
- The fox tears open the drum with its teeth.
- The fox discovers the drum is empty, made only of dry wood and skin.
- The fox is filled with regret for being deceived and losing its actual prey.
Characters
Der Fuchs
A lean, agile fox of average size, with a lithe and muscular build. His movements are quick and stealthy, indicative of a predator constantly on the hunt. His fur is thick and well-groomed, suggesting a healthy, if hungry, animal.
Attire: None (animal)
Wants: Driven by hunger, he seeks food to survive. His ultimate motivation is to satisfy his cravings and secure a substantial meal.
Flaw: His greed and impulsiveness. He is easily swayed by the promise of a large, easy meal, leading him to abandon a sure thing for a speculative one.
He begins as a cunning hunter, driven by hunger. He makes a critical error in judgment due to greed, leading to regret and a lesson learned about deceptive appearances.
Hungry, cunning, greedy, impulsive, regretful.
Der Hahn
A magnificent and robust rooster, with a proud and majestic bearing. He is of a substantial size, indicating good health and vitality.
Attire: None (animal)
Wants: To display his grandeur and live freely, avoiding predators.
Flaw: His pride might make him conspicuous, but his alertness saves him.
He serves as a catalyst for the fox's initial hunting attempt and then escapes, remaining unchanged.
Proud, majestic, alert, self-preserving.
Die Trommel
A cylindrical drum, likely made of wood and animal hide, of a size large enough to produce a 'terrible sound' when struck. It appears to be hollow and dry inside.
Attire: None (object)
Wants: None (object)
Flaw: Its emptiness and the fact it's just wood and hide.
It remains a static object, its significance lies in its deceptive appearance and sound.
None (object), but its sound is deceptive.
Locations
Dense German Forest Edge
A dense, ancient German forest with tall, dark fir trees and gnarled oaks. The ground is covered with fallen leaves and moss. A clearing or meadow is visible nearby.
Mood: Eerie, quiet, with a sense of hidden danger and natural wildness.
The fox roams, driven by hunger, and first spots the drum and the proud rooster.
Meadow near a Tree with a Drum
A vibrant green meadow adjacent to the forest. In the meadow stands a prominent, mature oak tree. A large drum is suspended from one of its branches, and a smaller branch repeatedly strikes it with each gust of wind.
Mood: Initially peaceful, then punctuated by startling, loud sounds, creating a sense of mystery and potential danger.
The fox observes the rooster and the mysterious, loud drum, leading to his fateful decision.
The Drum on the Oak Tree
The upper part of a sturdy oak tree where a large, empty drum is tied. The fox climbs with great effort to reach it.
Mood: Tense, filled with the fox's desperate hunger and eventual bitter disappointment.
The fox climbs the tree, tears open the drum, and discovers its emptiness, leading to his regret.