A large, scruffy wolf pads softly across the grassy yard and pokes his snout through the open door, his eyes widening at the sight of the inviting meal.
His stomach growls louder than ever as he slinks inside, nose twitching, unable to resist the aroma.
"Just a little taste..." he whispers, licking his lips.
The wolf leaps onto a chair and devours the entire bowl, grains flying, his tail wagging in delight.
With a satisfied sigh, he licks the bowl clean, not a single morsel remaining.
"That was the best thing I've ever eaten," he mumbles, his eyelids drooping with sudden drowsiness.
[@ch_1]He tries to curl up on the largest bed, but with a loud CRACK, the frame splinters beneath his weight. Flustered, he tries another, and then a third, each one shattering in turn, feathers and straw scattering across the room.
Finally, he collapses into the chick's nest, curling up tightly, the entire nest creaking but miraculously holding together.
"Just a quick nap... I’m so tired..." he mutters, drifting into a deep sleep.
Papa Crane, tall and stately, surveys the shattered beds with a frown, while Mama Crane gasps at the empty rice pot.
Little Chick hops forward, eyes wide with surprise at the sleeping wolf nestled in his nest.
"Who could have done this?"
"Look! In the nest—it's a wolf!"
Papa Crane tilts his head, a sly glimmer in his eye.
"He ate our food and broke our beds. Perhaps we can repay him in kind," he suggests quietly.
"We'll need to be careful not to wake him," adds Mama Crane, already fetching the largest cooking pot.
With practiced grace, Papa Crane and Mama Crane lift the wolf and carry him silently to the kitchen, laying him next to the stove.
Little Chick sprinkles spices with a tiny wing, and soon the aroma of a new dish fills the cottage.
That night, the crane family gathers around their table, joyful laughter rising as they dine on a hearty meal: wolf fried rice, a fitting feast after a day of trouble.
