Barbos, Matilda and the Fox

Once upon a time on a farm lived a dog named Barbos and a cat named Matilda. The dog dreamed of a cozy warm kennel where he could lie down and gnaw on a bone. And the cat dreamed of a small cat door so she could go about her important business whenever she pleased. The owner promised to fulfill their dreams if they helped him get rid of a fox that had taken to stealing chickens at night.

Barbos was confident he would deal with the fox in no time, and in his mind, he was already settling into his new kennel. But as it turned out, the fox was cunning. On the very first night, the diligent Barbos was outsmarted, and the fox stole another chicken. Seeing that he was not managing, Barbos first enlisted the help of a pig, then a sheep – but they too missed the chickens. When it became clear that Barbos's team had failed, it was Matilda the cat’s turn to take action. However, she had no intention of engaging in open combat with the fox. Matilda was a businesslike character, so she went and negotiated with the attic mice, saying to them: "Make it so the fox stops stealing the owner's chickens, and I will never bother you again." The offer was beneficial, and the mice devised a clever plan to deter the fox from the henhouse. Matilda received praise from the owner and the desired cat door. But she didn’t forget about the poor Barbos and persuaded the owner to fulfill his wish too, for the dog, although he had not managed to deal with the fox, was otherwise a very loyal and diligent helper.

This story about ingenuity, pride, and generosity was created by the French writer Chantal de Marolles. She has over a hundred works for children to her name, in which she combines the traditions of folk tales with a modern sound. The book was illustrated by the renowned German artist Axel Scheffler, known worldwide for the Gruffalo stories.