Once upon a time a group of jolly, happy crows were playing leaf-ball in the forest. They were having such a good time when Mr. Fox came slipping along. The crows saw him and started to fly away.

“Oh do not go away,” called Mr. Fox, “I only came to play ball with you.”

“Well, you will have to have a ball to play with,” said the crows, and they jumped upon his head and picked out one of his eyes.

They tossed the eye from one crow to another, laughing at poor Mr. Fox, who was jumping around in all directions trying to catch his eye. When they grew tired of playing, they hid the fox’s eye and all of their leaf-balls; flew away, cawing as they went, “We don’t want to play with you, old Fox. You are too mean. Keep away from here.”

And poor Mr. Fox was left searching for his hidden eye and grieving himself sick.