1) Chanticleer is a rooster who lives with his wife Pertelote and seven hens on a widow's farm. 2) One morning, Chanticleer has a nightmare about being attacked by a fox and tells Pertelote, but she dismisses dreams as meaningless. 3) Soon after, a fox tricks Chanticleer into crowing by flattering him, then grabs the rooster. Chanticleer escapes up a tree and refuses to come down when the fox apologizes.