The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

FINNISH TALE: THE FOX AND THE CROWFISH

ONCE UPON A TIME A FOX AND A CROWFISH WERE ON THE SHORE OF A
LAKE. THE FOX WAS WATCHING HOW THE CROWFISH WENT SLOWLY BACKWARDS
TO THE SEA. SO THE FOX LAUGHED AT THE CROWFISH AND SAID, "OH,
POOR YOU WHO HAVE TO WALK SO SLOWLY." BY THE SHORE THERE WAS A
SMALL HILL AND THE CROWFISH PROMISED TO BE AT THE TOP OF THE HILL
BEFORE THE FOX. THE FOX SAID, "YOU WANT TO BET?" SO THEY BET
AND SET THEMSELVES SIDE BY SIDE. THE CROWFISH SAID, "BY THE TIP
OF THE TAIL," AND SAID, "EVEN THOUGH I AM THIS FAR BEHIND YOU, I
WILL BEAT YOU." "WE'LL SEE," SAID THE FOX.
THE CROWFISH COUNTED ONE, TWO, THREE. THE FOX STARTED FAST. AT
THE MOMENT WHEN THE FOX STARTED, THE CROWFISH GRASPED THE TAIL OF
THE FOX. AND WHEN THE FOX WAS AT THE TOP OF THE HILL, HE TURNED
AROUND, THE CROWFISH LET GO AND APPEARED TO HAVE GONE FURTHER
THAN THE FOX AND SHOUTED TO THE FOX, "HERE I AM, WHAT ARE YOU
LOOKING THERE FOR. I'VE ALREADY BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE WAITING
FOR YOU." SO THE CROWFISH WON HIS BET AND THE FOX WAS ASHAMED
FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; FINLAND

Date learned: 11-00-1968