I don’t know which day it was, near the City of Aznot came a violent water, rushing in its rocky canyon so bold. When the people of Aznot came each day to fill their vessels, careful by the edge of the racing waters, aside the rushing stream might pull the vessel sharply and then some were swept to be lost. This made great upset and mourning across the city where the bells did ring, which was not surprising.
Soon, or later, it might be Saturday or another day, after noon or early in the evening before the light was dim. The Fox was shown to the water to see the problem and he stayed close by to watch the way it went, his rage was such that he could not speak, for years they had called him the Not Clever Fox. Yet here and now he looked upon a problem that was in his gift to unravel.
Along the edge there of the water held great and small rocks which made the water to stay its course, at one place in the wall of rocks a small drips of water came under to a tiny damp place. Fox could see that if the stones there were moved but some little ways then the water might flow through to make a pool there that the people dug out.
Many people came, each to dig the pit and not knowing why, but that when the Fox had asked them. When it was done to the satisfaction of the Fox, they built a stone steps and standing place at one side of the pit. When it was done the Fox made his way to the rocks and he pushed some time at this rock and then that, shifting always a little a little until the drip became a little more and the damp place moved down into the pit. The people went away not knowing what to think, so the fox said, Come back tomorrow.
In the morning, it was a Wednesday, when the city people came to the pit in the daylight, there in its place was a pool of water most clear, coming up to the stone steps where one could collect some water without fear. Then they called for the Fox to stand forth and made him the name of the Cleverest Fox. He was asked to stay in the City of Aznot so that he could make their world a better place. It was on a Thursday that he left.
The Guardians of the Cave 