Once in summer, a bear and a wolf were walking in the forest. The bear heard a beautiful song and asked, "Brother wolf, what bird sings so well?"
"That is the King of birds," said the wolf, "before whom we must bow." It was, in fact, the willow-wren.
"If so," said the bear, "I'd like to see his royal palace. Take me there."
"Not so fast," said the wolf. "You must wait for the Queen."
Soon, the Queen arrived with food in her beak, and the King came too. They began to feed their young. The bear wanted to approach, but the wolf held him back. "Wait until they leave," he said.
They noted the nest's location and left. But the bear, restless, soon returned alone. The King and Queen were gone. He peeked in and saw five or six young birds.
"Is this the royal palace?" cried the bear. "It's a wretched place! You are not king's children; you are disreputable!"
The young wrens were furious. "That is not true! Our parents are honest! Bear, you will pay for this!"
The bear and wolf, uneasy, retreated to their holes. The young wrens refused to eat when their parents returned. "We won't touch a fly's leg until you prove we are respectable! The bear insulted us!"
The old King said, "Be calm. He will be punished." He and the Queen flew to the bear's cave. "Old Growler, why insult my children? You shall suffer a bloody war!"
War was declared. The bear summoned all four-footed animals: oxen, asses, cows, deer, and more. The willow-wren summoned everything that flies: all birds, midges, hornets, bees, and flies.
Before the battle, the willow-wren sent a spy—a crafty gnat—to learn the enemy's plans. The gnat hid under a leaf where the bear was speaking to the fox.
The bear said, "Fox, you are the most cunning. You shall be our general."
"Good," said the fox. "But we need a signal. Watch my tail. If I hold it high, charge. If it droops, flee."
The gnat heard everything and reported back to the willow-wren.
At dawn, the four-footed army charged, making the earth tremble. The willow-wren's army filled the air with a terrifying hum. The willow-wren sent a hornet under the fox's tail to sting him.
At the first sting, the fox flinched but kept his tail up. At the second, he lowered it briefly. At the third, he screamed and tucked his tail between his legs.
Seeing this, the animal army thought all was lost and fled. The birds had won.
The King and Queen returned home. "Children, rejoice! We have won! Eat and drink to your heart's content!"
But the young wrens said, "Not yet. The bear must come here, beg our pardon, and call us honorable children."
The willow-wren flew to the bear's hole. "Growler, come to my nest and beg my children's pardon, or I will break every rib in your body!"
Trembling with fear, the bear crept to the nest and begged for forgiveness. Finally satisfied, the young wrens feasted and celebrated late into the night.