The Wolf and the Seven Kids

 

Once upon a time, in a cozy cottage nestled amidst a sprawling forest, lived a mama goat and her seven adorable kids. Each morning, mama goat would gather provisions for her little ones, leaving them with strict warnings about the cunning wolf who lurked in the shadows.

One sunny day, mama goat prepared to venture out, her voice laced with caution, "My dears, stay vigilant! If a gruff voice calls, claiming to be me, remember my soft coo and snow-white hooves. Trust no one who lacks these!"

The kids, wide-eyed and full of promise, chirped in unison, "We will, Mama! Go gather your goodies, we'll be safe and sound!"

With a loving lick on each forehead, mama goat skipped off, leaving the kids to their playtime. Suddenly, a booming voice echoed through the cottage, "Little ones, open the door! Your mama's back with treats galore!"

But the kids, remembering their mother's words, stood firm. "Your voice is much too rough, and your hooves, they lack the snowy fluff! You're not our mama, you're the sly wolf in disguise!"

Foiled, the wolf retreated, his mind abuzz with mischief. He sought out a baker, pleading, "My paws are sore, a touch of dough would ease the woe!" The baker, kind-hearted but wary, complied. Emboldened, the wolf scurried to a miller, requesting, "My paws are dark, could you make them stark?" The miller, sensing trickery, refused. Yet, the wolf, cunning as ever, threatened, "Refuse my plea, and dinner you shall be!" Fearing for his life, the miller reluctantly dusted the wolf's paws with flour, transforming them into ghostly white.

With renewed confidence, the wolf returned to the cottage, his voice dripping with feigned sweetness. "Little ones, let me in, your mama's kin, with gifts from the forest, nestled within!"

The kids, seeing the white paws through the window, wavered. Just then, the youngest, a wisp of a kid named Clover, noticed a glint of darkness beneath the flour. "Wait!" she bleated, "Your paws may be white, but your eyes, they hold the night!"

Startled, the wolf stumbled back, his plan unraveled. He lunged for the cottage door, but in his haste, miscalculated the narrow chimney. With a yelp, he got stuck, wedged fast like a plump plum in a narrow pipe.

The kids, filled with newfound courage, pelted the wolf with acorns and berries, his howls echoing through the forest. Mama goat, drawn by the commotion, rushed back to find her children safe and the wolf in comical disarray.

Together, they devised a plan. Mama goat built a roaring fire beneath the chimney, and soon, the soot-covered wolf emerged, sneezing and sputtering. With singed fur and a singed ego, he slunk away, defeated and forever wary of the quick-witted mama goat and her clever kids.

From that day on, the wolf avoided the cozy cottage, the memory of the sooty chimney serving as a potent reminder of the power of family, wit, and a well-placed acorn. And so, the mama goat and her kids lived happily ever after, their story a testament to the strength of love and the triumph of cleverness over brute force.