Dicky Duck was a very wise young fellow, or so he believed. He swam about the pond all by himself long before his brothers had even left their mother's side. He found the fattest worms, the juiciest bugs, and all sorts of delicious things that made every other young duck on the pond quite green with envy.
But one day Dicky Duck almost lost his life by thinking he was so wise. He was swimming around the far side of the pond when he came near the dark woods where Mr. Fox was hiding behind some thick bushes. Dicky did not swim close enough for Mr. Fox to catch him, but the fox could see plainly that Dicky was a nice, plump duck, and it made his eyes shine with longing to look at him.
"Ah me," sighed Mr. Fox, speaking just loud enough for Dicky to hear, "if only I knew some wise creature to ask! I am far too dull to know anything myself." When Dicky heard the word "wise" he stopped swimming at once and looked all around. Was not he the wisest duck of his size and age? Surely that voice must be talking about someone like him.
Mr. Fox had hidden himself very well under the bushes now. Not even the tip of his nose could be seen, and he made his voice sound terribly weak, as if he were a very small and harmless animal. "Who is it that wants to know a wise creature?" called Dicky Duck, paddling in a slow circle and stretching his neck to look toward the shore.
"Oh, just a poor little animal called Eatyoup," answered Mr. Fox, laughing so hard at his own joke that he could hardly speak. "I am very stupid and do not know much, and I have no wise friends at all." Dicky Duck had never heard of an Eatyoup in his life, but he had no intention of letting anyone think there was anything he did not know.
So Dicky swam a little nearer and said, "Well, I am wise, and if you wish to know anything, just ask me. Come out where I can see you and we can talk to each other better." He was trying all the time to get a glimpse of this new animal, but Mr. Fox was a wise creature himself and he had no intention of being seen.
"Oh dear! I should hate to show my miserable little self to such a big, fine-looking creature as you are," said Mr. Fox in his thin little voice. "It is bad enough to have you know I am stupid. But if you will come just a little closer, I will tell you what it is I want to know." Dicky Duck puffed up with pride, for what had he to fear from so small a creature as the Eatyoup?
Feeling very brave indeed, Dicky swam right up to the side of the pond. Out bounced Mr. Fox from behind the bushes and almost caught him! If Dicky had not used his wings as well as his feet, he would never have escaped. He beat his wings furiously, splashing water everywhere, and was in the middle of the pond swimming for dear life by the time Mr. Fox had splashed into the water after him.
Since the farm was not far off, Mr. Fox decided it would not be wise to risk his own life by swimming out further, so he slunk back to the bank with his fur dripping wet. He shook himself off and trotted angrily back into the woods, his dinner having gotten away. Dicky did not stop paddling until he reached the far side of the pond, his heart pounding beneath his feathers.
When Dicky Duck reached the barnyard, he told all the fowl about the strange new animal he had seen, called an Eatyoup. He described how it had a very weak voice but was almost as large as big Rover the dog. Everyone thought Dicky was wiser than ever for discovering such a creature. But for all his bragging, he was very careful never to swim near those woods again, for though he had told the fowl he had seen an Eatyoup, he was pretty sure in his own mind that he had met Mr. Fox.
