A wolf while dining on its prey
A bone within his throat did stay
To others he did whine and shout
“Will someone help me pull it out?”
“I’ll give a hero’s grand reward
To get the bone from where it’s stored.
It’s wedged real tightly down inside
My mouth that’s opened up so wide”
No animal could do the task
Which pleadingly the wolf did ask
Till wolfy, feeling lots of pain
Did come upon a stately crane
“Oh kindly crane with beak so long
This bone I ate does not belong
Within my throat where it is stuck
Oh won’t you try to pull it up?”
The crane did half-way close his eyes
To view the wolf whom he despised
“To get the bone which now you dread
Requires my beak within your head”
The crane breathed in real long and deep
Then closer to the wolf did creep
He looked inside the open jaw
A long way down the bone he saw
Then in he reached his long thin beak
The bone within the throat to seek
He closed upon it firm and tight
Then yanked it out with all his might
The deed was done, the wolf’s mouth closed
The crane a question now did pose
“What payoff will I now receive
For all the effort I did give?”
“Tis thanks enough,” the wolfy said
“That I did not bite off your head
For your reward you now can boast
You’re still alive, and not a ghost!”
