The Fox and the Geese

The fox once came to a meadow where a flock of fine fat geese were sitting. He smiled and said, "I’ve come just in time. You are sitting so nicely together that I can eat you up one after the other."

The geese cackled with fright, jumped up, and began to cry and beg for their lives. But the fox would not listen. "There is no mercy! You must die," he said.

At last one goose took courage and said, "If we poor geese must give up our young lives, please grant us one last favor: let us say one more prayer so we do not die with our sins on our minds. Then we will line up, and you can pick the fattest one."

"Yes," said the fox, "that is reasonable and a pious request. Pray away. I will wait until you are done."

So the first goose began a very long prayer, saying over and over, "Ga! Ga!" and when she would not stop, the second goose did not wait for her turn but also began, "Ga! Ga!" The third and fourth followed, and soon they were all cackling together.

And when they have finished praying, the story will continue. But for now, they are still praying without stopping.