The Wolf and the Fox
The wolf had the fox with him, and whatsoever
the wolf wished, that the fox was compelled to do, for he was the weaker, and he would
gladly have been rid of his master. It chanced that once as they were going through the
forest, the wolf said, red-fox, get me something to eat, or else I will eat you yourself.
Then the fox answered, I know a farm-yard where there are two young lambs. If you are
inclined, we will fetch one of them. That suited the wolf, and they went thither, and the
fox stole the little lamb, took it to the wolf, and went away. The wolf devoured it, but
was not satisfied with one. He wanted the other as well, and went to get it. But as he did
it so clumsily, the mother of the little lamb heard him, and began to cry out terribly,
and to bleat so that the farmers came running there. They found the wolf, and beat him so
mercilessly, that he went to the fox limping and howling. You have misled me finely, said
he. I wanted to fetch the other lamb, and the country folks surprised me, and have beaten
me to a jelly. The fox replied, why are you such a glutton. Next day they again went into
the country, and the greedy wolf once more said, red-fox, get me something to eat, or I
will eat you yourself. Then answered the fox, I know a farm-house where the wife is baking
pancakes to-night. We will get some of them for ourselves. They went there, and the fox
slipped round the house, and peeped and sniffed about until he discovered where the dish
was, and then snatched six pancakes and carried them to the wolf. There is something for
you to eat, said he to him, and then went his way. The wolf swallowed down the pancakes in
an instant, and said, they make one want more, and went thither and tore the whole dish
down so that it broke in pieces. This made such a great noise that the woman came out, and
when she saw the wolf she called the people, who hurried there, and beat him as long as
their sticks would hold together, till with two lame legs, and howling loudly, he returned
to the fox in the forest. How abominably you have misled me, cried he, the peasants caught
me, and tanned my skin for me. But the fox replied, why are you such a glutton. On the
third day, when they were out together, and the wolf could only limp along painfully, he
again said, red-fox, get me something to eat, or I will eat your yourself. The fox
answered, I know a man who has been killing, and the salted meat is lying in a barrel in
the cellar. We will get that. Said the wolf, I will go when you do, that you may help me
if I am not able to get away. I am willing, said the fox, and showed him the by-paths and
ways by which at length they reached the cellar. There was meat in abundance, and the wolf
attacked it instantly and thought, there is plenty of time before I need leave off. The
fox liked it also, but looked about everywhere, and often ran to the hole by which they
had come in, to find out if his body was still thin enough to slip through it. The wolf
said, dear fox, tell me why you are running here and there so much, and jumping in and
out. I must see that no one is coming, replied the crafty fellow. Don't eat too much. Then
said the wolf, I shall not leave until the barrel is empty. In the meantime the farmer,
who had heard the noise of the fox's jumping, came into the cellar. When the fox saw him
he was out of the hole at one bound. The wolf wanted to follow him, but he had made
himself so fat with eating that he could no longer get through, but stuck fast. Then came
the farmer with a cudgel and struck him dead, but the fox bounded into the forest, glad to
be rid of the old glutton.
--The End-- |
