L\u00e2ng\u0103 ora\u0219ul Iashiro se afl\u0103 muntele Dragonului. Pe muntele acesta tr\u0103ia odinioar\u0103 vulpea O-San, vestit\u0103 pretutindeni pentru me\u0219te\u0219ugul ei de a lua orice \u00eenf\u0103\u021bi\u0219are.
\nO dat\u0103, Hikoici se \u00eent\u00e2lni cu vulpea la o r\u0103sp\u00e2ntie. Cum se cuno\u0219teau de mult\u0103 vreme, \u00eencepur\u0103 s\u0103 strige:
\n\u2014 Ia te uit\u0103, cum\u0103tr\u0103 vulpe!
\n\u2014 Ia te uit\u0103, Hikoici! Ce \u00eent\u00e2mplare!
\n\u0218i din vorb\u0103-n vorb\u0103, Hikoici \u00eei spuse vulpii:
\n\u2014 \u0218tii ce? Hai s\u0103 ne \u00eentrecem, s\u0103 vedem care din noi doi e mai iscusit. Te lauzi c\u0103 po\u021bi lua orice \u00eenf\u0103\u021bi\u0219are dore\u0219ti dar s\u0103 \u0219tii c\u0103 nici eu m\u0103 las mai prejos la treaba asta.
\n\u2014 Ce vorbe\u0219ti? N-am \u0219tiut c\u0103 \u0219i tu ai asemenea haruri, se mir\u0103 O- San. Dac\u0103-i a\u0219a, arat\u0103 ce po\u021bi.
\n\u2014 Fie, voi \u00eencepe eu, se \u00eenvoi Hikoici. Du-te m\u00e2ine \u00een Poiana S\u0103lciilor, ca\u021b\u0103r\u0103-te \u00eentr-un copac \u00eenalt \u0219i prive\u0219te cu luare-aminte. Vei vedea un alai princiar. Alaiul acela voi fi eu \u00eensumi. Eu voi fi \u0219i prin\u021bul \u0219i suita lui\u2026
\nZic\u00e2nd acestea, Hikoici \u00ee\u0219i lu\u0103 r\u0103mas bun \u0219i plec\u0103 \u00een drumul lui.
\nA doua zi, vulpea se coco\u021b\u0103 \u00een pin. Se uita \u00een dep\u0103rtare, cu g\u00e2tul \u00eentins, zic\u00e2ndu-\u0219i \u00een g\u00e2nd: \u201eHikoici \u0103sta e un l\u0103ud\u0103ros. Eu \u00een locul lui nu m-a\u0219 fi apucat de ceva cu neputin\u021b\u0103 de \u00eenf\u0103ptuit, a-ha, ce-o s\u0103 mai r\u00e2d de el!\u201d
\nDeodat\u0103, \u00een zare lucir\u0103 ni\u0219te suli\u021bi. Pe drum se ar\u0103tar\u0103 mai \u00eent\u00e2i vestitorii alaiului. Trecur\u0103 apoi, \u00eentr-o t\u0103cere solemn\u0103, o\u0219tenii de r\u00e2nd, \u00een sandalele lor de paie. \u00cen sf\u00e2r\u0219it, se ivi patul palanchin al prin\u021bului. \u00cenaintea \u0219i \u00een urma palanchinului p\u0103\u0219eau samuraii \u00een haine scumpe, cu c\u00e2te dou\u0103 s\u0103bii la br\u00e2u, una mare \u0219i alta mic\u0103.
\nVulpii nu-i venea s\u0103-\u0219i cread\u0103 ochilor. Cuprins\u0103 de admira\u021bie, \u00eencepu deodat\u0103 s\u0103 strige:
\n\u2014 Bravo, Hikoici. Bravo! E\u0219ti un me\u0219ter ne\u00eentrecut! O, ce frumos, ce minunat!
\nAlaiul se opri. Curtenii ridicar\u0103 privirea uimi\u021bi, \u0219i ce s\u0103 vad\u0103! Sus, \u00een v\u00e2rful pinului, st\u0103tea o vulpe cu labele ridicate \u0219i scotea strig\u0103te de bucurie.
\n\u200b \u2014 F\u0103ptur\u0103 obraznic\u0103, ce te-a apucat? r\u0103cnir\u0103 samuraii furio\u0219i, \u0219i \u00eenconjurar\u0103 pe dat\u0103 copacul.
\nVulpea amu\u021bise de spaim\u0103, lipindu-se de trunchiul pinului. O\u0219tenii de jos o amenin\u021bau plini de m\u00e2nie:
\n\u2014 Jivin\u0103 tic\u0103loas\u0103! Vulpe neru\u0219inat\u0103! Ai oprit \u00een loc alaiul prin\u021bului. Stai c\u0103 te \u00eenv\u0103\u021b\u0103m minte!
\nSamuraii d\u0103dur\u0103 vulpea jos din copac cu v\u00e2rful suli\u021belor \u0219i \u00eencepur\u0103 s-o ciom\u0103geasc\u0103. Ei vezi bine, erau samurai adev\u0103ra\u021bi! \u0218iretul de Hikoici, care \u0219tiuse dinainte c\u00e2nd va trece pe-acolo alaiul prin\u021bului, \u00ee\u0219i b\u0103tuse joc de s\u0103rmana vulpe\u2026
\nVulpea fugi acas\u0103 b\u0103tut\u0103 m\u0103r. Hikoici, ascuns pe-aproape, v\u0103zuse totul, \u00eei venea s\u0103 r\u00e2d\u0103 dar \u00eei era \u0219i mil\u0103 de biata O-San. Nu-\u0219i \u00eenchipuise c-o s-o p\u0103\u021beasc\u0103 at\u00e2t de r\u0103u. Se hot\u0103r\u00ee \u0219i se duse la vizuina ei cu o pl\u0103cint\u0103 dulce, \u00eentreb\u00e2nd de-afar\u0103:
\n\u2014 Hei, aicea st\u0103 vulpea O-San?
\nUn pui de vulpe ie\u0219i din b\u00e2rlog:
\n\u2014 Mama zace bolnav\u0103.
\n\u2014 \u0218i cum se mai simte?
\n\u2014 R\u0103u de tot, geme \u00eentruna. Se vede c\u0103 au v\u0103t\u0103mat-o cum nu se mai poate, r\u0103spunse \u00eendurerat puiul de vulpe.
\n\u2014 A\u0219a, vas\u0103zic\u0103\u2026 Mare p\u0103cat! Uite, du-i pl\u0103cinta asta!
\nPuiul lu\u0103 bucuros pl\u0103cinta \u0219i i-o duse mamei sale:
\n\u2014 Hikoici-san a venit la tine s\u0103 te \u00eentrebe de s\u0103n\u0103tate \u0219i \u021bi-a adus pl\u0103cinta asta.
\nV\u0103z\u00e2nd pl\u0103cinta, vulpea \u00eencepu s\u0103 tremure din tot corpul:
\n\u2014 Arunc\u0103 repede spurc\u0103ciunea aia! Hikoici e cel mai mare me\u0219ter \u00een p\u0103c\u0103leli. Cine \u0219tie dac\u0103 n-o fi pus \u00een\u0103untru vreun ghemotoc de b\u0103legar!
\n\u0218i nu voi s\u0103-l cread\u0103 \u00een ruptul capului.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
L\u00e2ng\u0103 ora\u0219ul Iashiro se afl\u0103 muntele Dragonului. Pe muntele acesta tr\u0103ia odinioar\u0103 vulpea O-San, vestit\u0103 pretutindeni pentru me\u0219te\u0219ugul ei de a lua orice \u00eenf\u0103\u021bi\u0219are. O dat\u0103, Hikoici se \u00eent\u00e2lni cu … <\/p>\n