Guile

Once upon a time, there was a cunning cat named Bernie. He was known for his guile and his ability to outsmart anyone who crossed his path. One day, Bernie was wandering through the forest when he came across a group of mice playing in a field. Bernie approached the mice with his usual guile and asked if he could join in their game. The mice, not suspecting anything, welcomed him with open arms. Bernie played with the mice for hours, always making sure to keep his guile hidden beneath his friendly demeanor. As the day wore on, Bernie grew tired and decided to take a nap. The mice, thinking that Bernie was their friend, allowed him to sleep in their midst. But as soon as they were all asleep, Bernie sprang into action. With his guile, he caught every mouse in the group, one by one, until he had a pile of helpless rodents at his feet. Bernie grinned to himself, pleased with his cleverness, as he prepared to enjoy his feast. But just as he was about to dig in, a wise old owl swooped down from a nearby tree and scolded him for his guile. Bernie was ashamed and vowed to never use his cunning ways to hurt others again. From that day on, Bernie used his guile for good, using his cleverness to help others and solve problems. And though he still had a mischievous streak, his guile was never used to harm another living creature.