Once upon a time there was a woman who was going out to hire a shepherd. Then she met the bear. "Where are you going?" said the bear. "Oh, I'm going to fire myself a shepherd," answered the woman. "Won't you have me for your shepherd?" asked the bear. "Yes, if only you know how to call the animals," said the woman "Brrrr," growled the bear. "No, you won't do!" said the woman, when she heard that, and went on her way.
After walking along for some time she met a wolf. "Where are you going?" said the wolf. "I'm going to hire myself a shepherd," said the woman. "Could I be your shepherd?" asked the wolf "Well, if only you know to call the animals," said the woman. "Ouh,ouh,ouh!" said the wolf. "Oh, no! I don't want you," she said.
When she had gone a little farther, she met a fox. "Where are you going?" asked the fox. "Oh, I'm looking for a shepherd to hire," said the woman." Will you hire me as your shepherd?" said the fox. "Yes, if you know how to call the animals," the woman said "Dilly, dally, holli, dolli," cried the fox in a clear and ringing voice. "Yes, you're just the right fellow I want for a shepherd," said the woman, and hired the fox on the spot.
The first day the fox was to herd the livestock, he ate up all the woman's goats. The next day he gobbled up all her sheep, and on the third day he ate up all her cows. When he came home in the evening, the woman asked what he had done with all her animals, as she could see none around. "Their skulls are in the river and their bones are in the woods," said the fox. The woman was busy churning butter, but she thought she had better go outside to see what had become of all her animals, and while she was gone, the fox popped down in the churn and ate up the cream. When the woman came back and saw what the fox had done, she was so angry that she took the little drop of cream that was left and threw it at the fox, so he got a drop on the tip of his tail. And that is why the fox has a white tip on his tail to this very day.