{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_28508/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_28508","id":"gutenberg_28508","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28508","summary":null,"tags":["Animals -- Juvenile fiction","Category: Children & Young Adult Reading","Category: Humour","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore"],"text":"Produced by Louise Hope and the Online Distributed\nProofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was\nproduced from images generously made available by The\nUniversity of Florida, The Internet Archive/Children's\nLibrary)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n           *       *       *       *\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nThe\n\nCOMICAL CREATURES\n\nfrom\n\nWURTEMBERG.\n\n\n\n\n_From the EXAMINER, August 2d._\n\n\"The title-page of this agreeable little volume sufficiently commends\nits pleasant contents. To whom, old or young, will it not be welcome?\nWho has not, young or old, seen, laughed at, revisited, and brought\naway, pleasant recollections of the Stuffed Animals from the Zollverein?\n\n\"It was a good notion, that of perpetuating these clever productions by\nmeans of daguerreotype and wood-engraving. They are very nicely executed\nin this volume, and wonderfully like. It is needless to particularise\nwhere all is so graphic and faithful; but let the studious little rabbit\nover his arithmetic lesson at p. 32, with that demure conscience-striken\npair behind him wincing at the flogging of their idle brother, be\nespecially admired.\n\n\"We must add that the letterpress is not unworthy of the humour and\nfidelity of the illustrations. The various Weasels, Rabbits, and Foxes,\nare brought into one little tale; the Wonderful Hare-Hunt into another;\nthe Tea-Party of Kittens, and the Marten and Tabby, into a third; the\nDuel of the Dormice, and the Frogs, form two separate and ingenious\nanecdotes; and the story of Reynard the Fox is quaintly related in prose\nso far as was necessary to explain the six comical groups of Ploucquet.\n\n\"We predict a great run at Christmas for the _Comical Creatures from\nWurtemberg_.\"\n\n\n_From the MORNING CHRONICLE, August 12th._\n\n\"The book is a clever and a pleasant memento of the Great Exhibition.\nThe drawings are careful and clever, and convey a very correct\nrepresentation of the original creatures, with all, or nearly all, their\nsubtlety of expression and aspect. The capital fatuity of the Rabbits\nand Hares, the delightful scoundrelism of the Fox, the cunning\nshrewdness of the Marten and Weasels, the hoyden visages of the Kittens,\nand the cool, slippery demeanour of the Frogs, are all capitally given.\nThe book may lie on the drawing-room table, or be thumbed in the\nnursery; and in the latter case we have little doubt that many an urchin\nstill in petticoats will in future years associate his most vivid\nrecollection of the Great Exhibition of 1851 with Mr. Bogue's\nperpetuation of the _Comical Creatures from Wurtemberg_.\"\n\n\n\n\n  [Illustration: THE WONDERFUL HARE-HUNT.]\n\n\n\n\n  The\n\n  COMICAL CREATURES\n\n  from\n\n  WURTEMBERG,\n\n\n  _Including the Story of Reynard the Fox._\n\n\n  With Twenty Illustrations,\n  Drawn from the Stuffed Animals contributed by\n  Herrmann Ploucquet of Stuttgart\n  to the Great Exhibition.\n\n\n  _Second Edition._\n\n\n  London:\n  DAVID BOGUE, FLEET STREET.\n  1851.\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\n\nTo HERRMANN PLOUCQUET, Preserver of Objects of Natural History\nat the Royal Museum of Stuttgart,--the capital of the kingdom of\nWurtemberg,--we are indebted for one of the cleverest and most popular\ndisplays in the GREAT EXHIBITION. Every one, from her Majesty the Queen\ndown to the least of the charity-boys, hastens to see the Stuffed\nAnimals from the Zollverein; every one lingers over them and laughs at\nthem as long as the crowd will allow; and every one talks of them\nafterwards with a smile and a pleasing recollection.\n\nThat these clever productions of Ploucquet's talent may be long\nperpetuated, we have had daguerreotypes of them taken by Mr. Claudet,\nand engravings made from them on wood as faithfully like as possible.\n\nWe must beg our readers to remember that, excepting \"Reynard the Fox,\"\nour sketches have been written to illustrate the drawings, for on this\nplea we claim some indulgence; but as we know full well that the\npictures will be the main attraction of the volume, we are not\napprehensive of much criticism.\n\nThe story of \"Reynard the Fox\" is told briefly in the words of an old\nversion of this wonderful tale published in England many years ago. In\nGermany _Reinecke Fuchs_ is as popular as our \"Jack the Giant-Killer.\"\nCarlyle says, \"Among the people it was long a house-book and universal\nbest companion; it has been lectured on in Universities, quoted in\nimperial Council-halls; it lay on the toilets of princes, and was\nthumbed to pieces on the bench of the artisan: we hear of grave men\nranking it next to their Bible.\"\n\nGoethe took the story of \"Reynard\" for the subject of a great poem; and\nthe famous painter Kaulbach has recently illustrated Goethe's version\nwith perhaps the finest series of pictures with which a book was ever\nadorned.\n\nHerrmann Ploucquet has had the good taste to select six of these designs\nas models for his works. He has admirably preserved the expression which\nthe painter gave to the Fox and his dupes, and every one recognises them\nwith pleasure.\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS.\n                                                        PAGE\n\n  The Weasels of Holm-Wood                                15\n  The Wonderful Hare-Hunt                                 40\n  The Duel of the Dormice                                 45\n  The Six Kittens                                         49\n  The Frogs who would a-wooing go                         59\n  The Story of Reynard the Fox                            63\n\n\n\n\nILLUSTRATIONS.\n                                                        PAGE\n\n  The Wonderful Hare-Hunt (Double Plate)       _Frontispiece._\n  Dame Weasel and her Family                              14\n  The Attentive Physician                                 17\n  The _very_ attentive Physician                          21\n  Old Marten and Sharp Weasel, Esq.                       25\n  Mr. Bantam's Interview with Old Marten                  29\n  Longtail teaching the young Rabbits Arithmetic          33\n  Jack Hare and Grace Marten leading off the Ball         37\n  The Duel of the Dormice                                 44\n  The Kittens at Tea--Miss Paulina singing                48\n  Ensign Squeaker and Miss Rose                           51\n  Young Marten bidding farewell to Miss Paulina           55\n  The Frogs who would a-wooing go                         58\n  Reynard at Home at Malepardus                           62\n  Reynard in the likeness of a Hermit                     65\n  Sir Tibert delivering the King's Message                71\n  Reynard brings forward the Hare as his Witness          81\n  Reynard on his Pilgrimage to Rome                       85\n  Reynard attacketh Laprell the Rabbit                    91\n\n\n\n\n  [Illustration: DAME WEASEL AND HER CHILDREN.]\n\nTHE\n\nWEASELS OF HOLM-WOOD.\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\nIn a pleasant country where green meadows lay stretched by\nthe side of a broad river whose banks were lined with the\npollard-willow and tall poplar, there once dwelt a family of\nWeasels, known, from their place of residence, as the\nWeasels of Holm-wood.\n\nHolm-wood was a little island covered with underwood,\nrushes, and wild flowers. A few aged trees stood by its\nedge, bathing their long arms in the stream, and in the\nhollow trunk of one of these the Weasels lived.\n\nAny fine morning you might have seen the mother of this\nfamily carrying her infant in her arms, and followed by her\nother children, a girl and two boys, who would amuse\nthemselves by dragging little wooden horses, playing at\nsoldiers with mock muskets, running against the wind with\nlittle whirligig mills, or frolicking about with a thousand\nof the antics of children. Their father, known every where\nas Old Weasel, was of a most resolute and unbending\ndisposition; he made many enemies, and was ever at war\nwith one or other of his neighbours. The Partridges of\nClover-field asserted that he sucked their eggs and stole\ntheir young ones; the Rabbits of the Warren held Old Weasel\nand all his family in the deepest abhorrence, and accused\nthem of the greatest cruelties; but no one complained of\nthem more bitterly than Dame Partlett of the Farm, who\naccused the whole tribe of being born enemies of her race,\nand said, that were it not that Old Weasel himself was\ndreadfully afraid of her neighbour and friend, young Mastiff\nof Kennel-wood, she verily believed that she should never\nknow any peace on earth.\n\n  [Illustration: THE ATTENTIVE PHYSICIAN.]\n\nAll the world will understand how, with such a character,\nthe Weasels had but few friends, and that when Miss Weasel\ngrew to be of age, she should have but few admirers;\nnevertheless two or three families who were related to them\nby blood kept up an occasional acquaintance, and among them\nthe Ferrets of Hollow-oak were the most intimate. Now it so\nhappened that one evening, when out for a ramble in the\nwoods, a branch of a tree on which Miss Weasel had mounted\nin order to get nearer to young Linnet, with whom she wished\nto be on intimate terms, broke suddenly off, and the poor\nyoung lady was precipitated to the ground and sadly hurt.\nHer cries brought to her assistance her younger brother Tom,\nwho, as soon as he had helped her home, ran for young\nFerret, who had lately begun practice as a physician. When\nthe good young doctor came, he found Miss Weasel lying on\nthe sofa, looking very pale and very interesting. He felt\nher pulse, looked at her tongue, and soon discovered that\nthe lady was more frightened than hurt. However, as he had\nnot many patients, he did not choose to tell all the truth,\nbut prescribing a simple remedy, he ordered her to keep very\nquiet, and promised to call again on the next day. Whether\nit was that Miss Weasel had been hurt more than her\nphysician had thought, or whether there were any other\ninducements, we cannot say; but young Ferret thought it his\nduty to call at Holm-wood every morning, and sometimes twice\na day, for at least a month: and if any one could have seen\nhow frequently he felt Miss Weasel's pulse, and how\nanxiously he studied every expression of her face, he would\nhave set down Dr. Ferret as a very attentive at least, if\nnot excellent physician.\n\nWhen Miss Weasel became somewhat stronger, this good young\nman would lend his arm for her support during an evening\nwalk, would bring her birds' eggs and other delicacies, and\nin many ways endeavour to contribute to her restoration to\nhealth.\n\nThis went on for some time, till the gossips of the\nneighbouring village would smile whenever they saw the\ndoctor wending his way towards Holm-wood; and Miss Weasel's\ntwo brothers would immediately leave their lessons, which\ntheir sister used to teach them, as soon as ever the\nphysician appeared in sight.\n\n\n  [Illustration: THE _VERY_ ATTENTIVE PHYSICIAN.]\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\nThe other relations of the Weasels who were on visiting\nterms with them were, the Polecats of The Grange, who came\nbut seldom, and the Martens of Forest-farm, with whom they\nwere more intimate. Now old Mr. Marten had always intended\nthat his own son Longtail, who kept a boarding-school for\nboys near the Warren, should marry Miss Weasel; and when he\nheard of the physician's great attentions to that young\nlady, he was very wroth. At first he thought of way-laying\nyoung Ferret in the wood and killing him; but then he\nrecollected that the Ferrets were a powerful family, who\nwould never rest till they had been revenged. His next\nthought was to go to his attorney, Sharp Weasel, Esq., of\nNettle Cottage, and consult with him as to the best means of\nthwarting young Ferret's projects. So the old man took down\nhis pipe and his account-book, and set off to the attorney.\n\nMr. Sharp Weasel was well pleased to see so excellent a\nclient as old Mr. Marten, and received him with many smiles.\nThe two quickly laid down a plan of proceedings, and Mr.\nMarten produced his account-book, and proved that young\nFerret owed him for the following goods sold and delivered,\nviz. one young rabbit; item, one wood-pigeon; item, one\nbrace of partridges; item, one cock-pheasant; item, one\nduckling; item, one fat gosling.\n\nFor this account young Ferret was next day summoned before\nJudge Fox, who, after hearing the case, immediately gave\njudgment in favour of plaintiff; and as young Ferret had not\nsufficient funds to meet this unexpected demand, he was\nforthwith arrested and sent to prison.\n\nOld Mr. Marten chuckled and was well pleased at the success\nof his stratagem, and was on his way to his son Longtail to\ntell him of what he considered the good news, when he met\nMr. Bantam of Holm-farm, searching for his wife and\ndaughters, who had wandered for a walk. Bantam, it was\nevident, did not particularly wish for this meeting, for his\ncomb grew very red, and he strutted off at a quick pace in\nan opposite direction; but old Marten ran through some\nbushes, and caught him just as he was getting clear of the\nwood.\n\n  [Illustration: OLD MARTEN AND SHARP WEASEL, ESQ.]\n\n\"Good morning, Mr. Bantam,\" said he.\n\n\"Good morning, sir,\" said Bantam, shaking in every feather.\n\n\"I want you to do me a service, Bantam,\" continued old\nMarten; \"but you must not say one word of what I am going to\ntell you.\"\n\nBantam promised this, as indeed he would have any thing\nelse.\n\n\"You must go to Old Weasel of Holm-wood,\" whispered Marten,\nlaying his forepaws on Bantam's breast to hold him near him,\n\"and find his daughter. Tell her that young Ferret is a\nscapegrace and a good-for-nothing fellow, and that Judge Fox\nhas sent him to prison. Then tell her that I am very rich,\nand that my son Longtail is making a handsome fortune by his\nschool. This is a delicate matter, Bantam: if you manage\ncleverly, I will be your friend through life; if you betray\nme, mark this.\" And the old man clapped his paw on the\ncutlass he usually wore by his side.\n\nBantam, glad to get out of his clutches on any terms,\npromised the strictest compliance, and flew rather than ran\nback to his farmyard as soon as he was released. There the\nfirst person he saw was his wife, who had returned, and was\nwondering what had become of him. To her, of course, he told\nall his strange adventure, and she, silly thing, went\nimmediately and cackled the whole story to Dame Goose; who\ntold it to one of the young Goslings, who told it to old\nMr. Drake; he quacked it about so loudly that his wife and\nchildren soon learned it; and in ten minutes there was not\none in all Holm-farm who did not know of this wonderful\nadventure. As for performing his promise, we must do Mr.\nBantam the credit of saying he never for a moment thought of\nbeing such a silly, for he well knew that the day which saw\nhim enter Old Weasel's house would be his last.\n\n\n  [Illustration: MR. BANTAM'S INTERVIEW WITH OLD MARTEN.]\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\nAfter old Marten had let Bantam go, he himself went straight\nto his son, whom he found engaged in his professional\npursuits. At the moment of his father's entry, young\nLongtail was hearing a class of the young Rabbits, on one of\nwhom he was inflicting summary chastisement for great\nneglect and carelessness in his arithmetic. The poor young\nfellow was squeaking terribly, and his three brothers, with\ntears in their eyes, were trying with all their might to\ncast up their sums on their slates, which shook so in\ntheir hands that they could scarce see the figures. Their\nmaster left off the beating when he saw his father, and\nconsequently young Rabbit, for the first and perhaps only\ntime in his life, was very glad to see the old man. The\nclass was dismissed; and if you had seen these four\nyoungsters scamper off, shaking their white tails and\njumping half a yard high as they ran to the Warren,\nyou would have thought it was a good thing to have the\nlight-heartedness of children.\n\nThe Martens, father and son, retired up an oak-tree, at the\nold man's request, to talk over their private affairs. When\nthe son heard of his father's plans, and how young Ferret\nhad been arrested, he was struck dumb with amazement. He had\nnever dreamed that his father would interfere in such a\nmatter; and if the truth must be told, he was already\nengaged to Miss Pussy, the eldest daughter of old Mrs. Hare\nof the Ferns.\n\nHowever, he knew better than to contradict his father's\nintentions too suddenly, for he felt assured that the old\nman would cut him off with a shilling if he were to offend\nhim; so he pretended to acquiesce in all that was said,\nand promised compliance in every particular.\n\nBut as soon as his father had bidden him farewell, and\nhad got out of sight, young Longtail ran as fast as his\nlegs would carry him to the cavern where the doctor was\nimprisoned, paid the amount of the debt for which he had\nbeen arrested, and took young Ferret home with him to\nconsult about their future conduct.\n\n  [Illustration: LONGTAIL TEACHING THE YOUNG RABBITS\n    ARITHMETIC.]\n\nIt would have amused you, could you have heard all the plans\ndiscussed by these young lovers for their joint benefit; how\nthe one talked of his darling Miss Weasel, and the other of\nhis dear Miss Pussy; how they agreed that in matters of love\nevery thing was allowable; and how they swore eternal\nfriendship to each other throughout their lives.\n\nTwo days afterwards it was known all over Holm-wood that the\nfair Miss Weasel had eloped with Longtail Marten. Mrs. Goose\nand the four Miss Goslings were full of the information for\nevery one they met. It was the finest piece of scandal they\nhad known for years. \"Only think,\" said they, \"after all her\nengagement to young Doctor Ferret, to go and take up with\nthe schoolmaster; and all, forsooth, because Old Marten is\nrich!\"\n\nBut scarce had the first news of Miss Weasel's extraordinary\nbehaviour run through the farm-yard, than old Bantam was\nseen hurrying in, very red in the face from over exertion,\nand was heard to declare, that he never knew the like of it,\nbut as sure as he was a living cock, he had met young Ferret\nthe physician running away with Miss Pussy, the daughter of\nold Mrs. Hare of the Ferns. Mrs. Goose turned up the whites\nof her eyes and almost fainted. Dame Partlett ran with\nall speed, that she might be the first to cackle the\nintelligence to Mr. Drake; and the whole island was soon\nin a ferment at this wonderful piece of gossip.\n\nOf course, old Mr. Marten soon heard of all this; and so\npleased was he that he immediately altered his will,\ndoubling the amount he had previously given to his dear boy\nLongtail, and getting so extremely excited at the \"Huntsman\nand Hounds\" on the same afternoon, that, sad to relate, he\nwas untimely carried off by an effusion of blood.\n\nAnd what think you became of the lovers? Why, the very day\nall this commotion happened at Holm-wood the two pair met at\ntheir aunt's, old Mrs. Stoat's, of Four-mile Cross, as they\nhad agreed. There the young fellows, overjoyed at the\nsuccess of their scheme, changed their fair partners, and,\nto complete their happiness, immediately set out for a tour\non the neighbouring Continent.\n\nThere, on fine summer evenings, you might often have seen\nthe doctor and his beloved quietly strolling by wood-sides\nand along the banks of the green meadows, listening intently\nto the warbling of the tender birds they loved so much;\nwhile young Longtail Marten and his bride, fonder of more\nboisterous excitement, devoted themselves to the pleasures\nof the chase, scouring rapidly over hill and dale whenever\nthey heard the huntsman's loud horn, or the hounds' deeper\nnotes; and never so happy as when, after the sports of the\nday were done, they finished up with a ball, and danced\njoyously till the next day's dawn.\n\n  [Illustration: JACK HARE AND GRACE MARTEN LEADING OFF\n    THE BALL.]\n\nAs for the good folks at Holm-wood, as soon as Mrs. Hare\ndiscovered that her daughter had run away, she sent for her\neldest son, Jack Hare, who lived in a farm close by, and\nasked him to pursue his sister and bring her back; but Jack\nsaid she was quite old enough to know her own mind, and that\nhe would have nothing to do with it. When, however, the old\nlady learned that her daughter was married to the rich young\nMarten, and not to the poor physician, then she was greatly\nrejoiced, though she confessed she could not make out why\nher dear child Pussy should run away with the doctor and\nthen marry the schoolmaster; but she supposed it was all\nright.\n\nAs for Jack, when he heard that old Mr. Marten had died,\nleaving great riches behind him, he, to follow the fashion,\nfell in love with Grace, the only daughter of the deceased,\nand only sister of Longtail. Miss Grace listened favourably\nto Jack's suit--for she was very lonely now her father was\ndead, and her brother away; and as there was no papa to\nconsult in their case, they got married quietly at home,\nand asked all their neighbours to a ball, when Jack Hare and\nGrace Marten (that was) led off the polka in grand style,\ngreatly to the admiration of all the young folks in the\nisland.\n\n\n\n\nTHE WONDERFUL HARE-HUNT.\n\n\nMerrily sounded the cock's shrill horn, and brightly shone\nthe early morning sun, when a party of young sportsmen set\nout to the field, armed with their guns and game-bags. Four\nbeaters from the neighbouring village attended them, each\nwith a long stick to rout the hares and rabbits from their\nhiding-places. Gaily went they forth, these merry sportsmen\nand their helpers; light was their step across the green\nmeadows and up the sandy hill-sides; loud was their laughter\nwhen one of them, trying to jump through a broken hedge,\nfell into the neighbouring ditch; great was their mirth when\nanother's gun went off and lamed a squirrel in an adjoining\ntree; and joyous was the shout with which they scared a\nfrightened rabbit from its morning meal.\n\nAt last the sportsmen came to the side of a wood, and one of\nthe beaters reported that just round the corner of the\npalings he could see nearly a dozen hares feeding together.\nA council of war was summoned; each sportsman looked to the\npriming of his gun, and trod with a more cautious step; each\nbeater bent his head nearly to the ground, and crept along\nthe grass. A plan of attack was formed; the beaters stole\nwithin the wood to stop the hares that way, while the\nsportsmen suddenly appearing on the other side, caused the\npoor hares, surrounded as they were, to run into the very\njaws of destruction. They that leaped towards the wood\nreceived blows on their heads from the beaters; they that\nran down the hill met Ponto the dog, who pounced on them\nopen-mouthed; and they that ran upwards were soon sent\ndownwards again, toppling head over heels, killed by the\nfire of the enemy. Not a hare escaped. The gun-bearers took\ndeadly aim, and Ponto and the beaters prevented their\nflight.\n\nWhile the young sportsmen and their helpers were yet picking\nup the hares and rejoicing at their good fortune, the sky\nbecame quickly overcast, black clouds gathered, and a\nhurricane of wind swept through the wood, tearing off large\nbranches of the trees. The sportsmen stood amazed at the\nsuddenness of the storm, but presently their amazement was\nchanged to fear; for, riding in a bright chariot drawn by\nsix snow-white swans,--blown swiftly by the wind,--there\nappeared a lady of fairy-like beauty. At her command the\nbeautiful birds stayed their flight, and the chariot rested\non the green turf close by the sportsmen.\n\n\"Young men,\" said the lady in a melodious but mournful\nvoice, as she pointed to the dead hares, \"you have murdered\nthese poor innocents for your sport: know, I am the fairy\ncalled KINDNESS, and these hares were all of them my\nfriends. In punishment for your cruelty, you sportsmen shall\nbe changed into Martens, and you attendants into Weasels.\nIn such shapes you may pursue your cruel sports; you are not\nworthy of the forms of men.\" And, waving her wand, the swans\nbore her instantly out of sight.\n\nThey who live in this country say that every old\nMichaelmas-day, five martens and four weasels, with long\nsticks, may still be seen hunting hares near this wood;\nsometimes a dog's bark is heard and a shrill whistle, but\nif any of mankind appear in their sight, the creatures run\nquickly away, and hide themselves in the wood.\n\n\n\n\n  [Illustration: THE DUEL OF THE DORMICE.]\n\nTHE DUEL OF THE DORMICE.\n\n\nOut in the fields, in the hollow of an old willow-tree, two\nDormice slept the whole winter long. They neither ate nor\ndrank, nor did they so much as raise their heads from their\npillows during all this dreary time. A ray of sunshine, as\nthe sun passed right over their tree, would perhaps make one\nof them stretch out his paws; but as soon as the gleam had\npassed and left them, he would curl himself up all the\ncloser in his nest, and go faster asleep than ever.\n\nBut the sun came one bright spring morning, and shone on the\nDormice so warmly, that they turned round in their bed,\nstretched their paws, rubbed their eyes, yawned, and at last\nwoke quite up.\n\n\"It is summer-time at last,\" said the elder Dormouse, as he\ntook a nut from his store of provisions and cracked it, \"and\nwe may now leave our winter's bed.\" \"I don't believe it,\"\nreplied the younger. \"The wind blows cold; I shall go to\nsleep again.\"\n\n\"Ah, that's like your laziness,\" rejoined the elder; \"sleep\non; I'm off to the wood.\" And so saying, he scrambled up the\ntree, then down the outside of the trunk, and so into the\nwide meadows.\n\nThe younger Dormouse went to sleep. He slept for an hour,\nthen he woke again, and finding his companion gone, he\nturned to the food and ate a hearty meal; then he slept\nagain, but the sun had made his bed too hot: so he presently\nwoke and made another attack on the provisions; and this he\ndid the whole day long, until, at evening time, all the corn\nand nuts which the two Dormice had so diligently collected\nin the autumn, were gone. Soon the moon rose, and the young\none curled himself for sleep.\n\nIn the meantime the elder had wandered about the fields;\nbut the earth was wet, and no corn or fruit was ripe, so at\nnight he returned to his nest wet and hungry. He ran\nstraight to the store-room for food; but what was his\nsurprise when he found nothing left but a few barley-corns!\nHis cries woke his companion, from whom he demanded the\nprovisions; the younger one muttered that he knew nothing\nabout them, and pretended to sleep; but the unfortunate\nadventurer, driven to desperation by hunger, flew into a\nrage and struck the other with his claws: a fight ensued,\nand the whole neighbourhood was alarmed at the outcry.\n\nTwo Moles who were passing by the foot of the tree, hearing\nthis dreadful noise, called out to the combatants to stop.\nThe Dormice fearing it might be some of the Weasels who\nspoke, were silent instantly, and then the Moles bade them\ncome out.\n\nSo the Dormice came down to the Moles; and when the Moles\nfound that the silly creatures were bent on their quarrel,\nthey insisted that the combat should be with swords.\nMoreover, they offered to play the part of seconds, and to\ndig a grave for the vanquished.\n\nTo all this the Dormice consented; the Moles found an old\ntrap, and from the iron parts they fashioned rude swords.\nThese they measured, and gave to the combatants; and then,\nwith their long spades in their hands, they awaited the\nissue of the affray. It was fierce and desperate. The hungry\none fought with fury, but he who had had a good feast was\nthe stronger and the calmer: at last the younger one drove\nhis sword right through the body of the elder; but the elder\nat the same moment clove his opponent's head asunder, and so\nthey fell dead together. And the Moles dug a deep hole, and\nburied both the Dormice in the same grave.\n\n\n\n\n  [Illustration: THE KITTENS AT TEA--MISS PAULINA SINGING.]\n\nTHE SIX KITTENS.\n\n\nOnce upon a time a cat had six kittens, whom she brought up\nin the most genteel manner. No one could say that their\neducation was in any wise neglected, for besides being\ntaught the ordinary duties of life by their mother, such as\nmouse-hunting, fish-stealing, and bird-catching, they\nreceived instructions in the arts of singing, and playing\nthe harp and the piano, and were taught to waltz and dance\nthe polka with every imaginable grace. Now when the kittens\ngrew to be of age, it was their custom of an afternoon to\nspend some hours at tea and intellectual talk. The youngest\nalways performed the duties of servant, while one of the\nelder ones would entertain the rest by playing airs from the\nlatest opera, or singing a love-song, the music of which she\nhad herself composed.\n\nIt is true some animals who dwelt close by complained of\nthis music, and called it by all kinds of ill names; but\nthat is ever the jealous way of the world: and the kittens\nfrequently performed serenades in their garden by moonlight,\nwhen all who passed by would stay to listen to their melody.\n\nBut to our tale. It happened that, one fine summer's\nafternoon, when the kittens were all enjoying themselves at\ntea; when Paulina, the eldest, was warbling some of her most\ndelightful songs, and Violet, the second, was entertaining\nthe rest, in an under tone, with a little bit of scandal\nabout a neighbouring Tabby, whom she had seen coming home in\na sad condition about five o'clock in the morning, when she,\nMiss Violet, was taking her early walk;--just at this moment\nthere sounded a tap at the door, and presently in came\nDiana, the youngest sister, bearing in her hand more cakes\nfor tea, and in the plate with them a note addressed to Miss\nRose,--the next to Violet in age, and by most people\nconsidered the beauty of the family. Violet took the letter\neagerly from Diana; but when she saw the address, she\nremarked that it was evidently a gentleman's handwriting,\nand tossing her head somewhat disdainfully, she handed it to\nMiss Rose, who blushed very much, and retired with it to the\nsofa. Rose opened the note with trembling paws, and a sweet\nsmile played on her features as she read its contents; then,\ncarefully folding it up, she observed to her sisters that it\nwas merely an invitation for a walk, and springing on to the\nback of the sofa, she jumped through the open window, and\nretired to her own summer-house up a fine sycamore-tree in\nthe garden.\n\nThis incident, as may be imagined, caused a great sensation\namong the sisters; and all wondered very much who could have\nbeen the writer of the note that had so evidently pleased\nMiss Rose. One hoped it was not from that scapegrace Tom who\nlived at the Farm-yard; another feared it might come from\nyoung Marten Sable of the Forest; and Violet demanded of her\nyoungest sister what sort of person it was who had brought\nthe note. Diana did not know, but believed it was a relation\nof old Mr. Weasel, who belonged to the same farm that Tom\ndid. This set them all guessing again, for it was well known\nthat Tom and Old Weasel did not speak to each other: and in\nthe end they were all just as wise as in the beginning.\n\n  [Illustration: ENSIGN SQUEAKER AND MISS ROSE.]\n\nAbout seven o'clock the same evening an attentive observer\nmight have noticed Miss Rose emerging from her door very\nquietly, and making the best of her way to the green fields\nthat bordered the sea-coast close by. An ill-natured person\nwould have said that Miss Rose had taken especial pains with\nher toilet, and that she carried her parasol with a\nlack-a-daisical air; but Rose herself, at her last peep in\nthe glass, had thought that she looked very nicely indeed;\nand so it would appear thought Ensign Squeaker (of the\nHousehold Pigade), who, with his regimental sword by his\nside, and his pocket telescope in his hand, sauntered along\nthe pathway, _merely_ to enjoy the beauty of the evening,\nand inhale the fresh breezes from the ocean. How it happened\nthat Young Squeaker and Miss Rose met at the corner of the\ncliff, just as the village clock struck the half-past seven,\nno one knows; certain only it is that they did meet; and\nthat after the interchange of the usual compliments, Miss\nRose accepted Mr. Squeaker's proffered arm, and that the\npair wandered about by the sea-shore until the moon rose;\nand Miss Rose, in great trepidation at finding it so late,\ndesired her companion to escort her home. Nor is it known\nwhat Mr. Squeaker said when he bade a fond adieu to his dear\nRose, nor for how long after Rose sat in her arbour in the\ngarden and watched the bats flitting across the moon.\n\nIt was noticed by the sisters that Rose was very quiet all\nthe next day, and that at times a tear stood in the corner\nof her eye, which she would wipe away, sighing. Many were\nthe sly allusions to the note of the previous afternoon and\nthe long evening walk, and no one tormented poor Rose with\nher insinuations more than Paulina, who was for some cause\nin a most unusual flow of spirits. After tea, Rose took down\nher treasured volume, \"Pussicat's Poems,\" and retiring to\nthe garden, read the tenderest parts. Violet, overcome with\nthe fatigue of a recent mouse-hunt, went to sleep on the\nsofa; the younger ones busied themselves with their crochet\nand net-work; and Miss Paulina, saying she was going to call\non a neighbour, with her best lace-bordered handkerchief in\nher hand, sallied forth and took her way towards the forest.\nNow it so happened that young Marten Sable was leaning\nagainst a tree, tapping his heel with his cane, and\nmeditating very profoundly at the entrance of the very walk\ntowards which Paulina bent her steps. He started at her\napproach, and with a sad but eager countenance ran to meet\nher.\n\n\"What has happened, Marten,\" cried Paulina, \"that you look\nso miserable? tell me directly, I implore you;\" and placing\nher hand on his arm, she looked piteously in his face.\nMarten hung his head and seemed overcome with grief; at last\nhe said in a low husky voice, \"We must part, Paulina; but it\nwill be only for a time; my father has ordered me to set out\nfor Russia to visit his forests there, and, my darling\nPaulina,--how can I bear the thought!--it will be six months\nbefore I see you again.\" Paulina covered her face with her\npaws and wept bitterly; at last rousing herself, she said,\n\"Let us not, Marten, spend our last evening thus; come, six\nmonths will soon pass, and then--\" Here Paulina's voice\ndropped, and Marten threw his arms round her waist and\nkissed away the tears.\n\n  [Illustration: YOUNG MARTEN BIDDING FAREWELL TO\n    MISS PAULINA.]\n\nWe know of every word that Marten said to Paulina, and of\nPaulina's every reply, for we had it all from a young\nhedgehog whose curiosity led her to listen to their talk;\nbut we think that the hedgehog did wrong to listen, and so,\nperhaps, did we to listen to the hedgehog, and so we will\nnot tell their secrets; but this, we may mention, that they\nwandered up and down the pathways of the forest, now and\nthen pouncing on a stray field-mouse or a poor sleeping\nbird, until the moon shone brightly through the trees. And\nwe know that they parted at length by the sign-post at the\nedge of the wood, when Paulina shed many tears, and Marten,\nlaying his paw upon his heart, vowed ever to be constant to\nher, and in all his travels and all his adventures to\nremember his sweet Pussy. To have seen how the poor kitten\nwept when she went to bed that night, would have grieved a\nhard-hearted terrier; and to have seen how melancholy she\nlooked as she wandered about for three weeks afterwards,\nwould have drawn pity from a ferocious bull-dog.\n\nOne morning, about seven months after the events we have\nnarrated, there was a great commotion in the house where the\nkittens dwelt; the bells rang, the flags were hoisted, and\nlittle cannon fired. In the papers of the next morning we\nread that Ensign Squeaker of the Household Pigade carried\noff the beautiful Miss Rose, and young Marten Sable of the\nForest his fair prize Miss Paulina, both on the same day.\n\nMay they all enjoy much felicity, and may the brides catch\nplenty of mice!\n\n\n\n\n  [Illustration: THE FROGS WHO WOULD A-WOOING GO.]\n\nTHE\n\nFROGS WHO WOULD A-WOOING GO.\n\n\nTwo frogs, who were cousins, were hopping about together one\nwarm summer's evening by the side of a rivulet, when they\nbegan talking--just as the men will talk--about a young\nlady-frog who lived in a neighbouring marsh. One extolled\nthe brightness of her eyes, the other praised the beauty\nof her complexion, and somehow the two frogs found out\nthat they had both fallen in love with the same young\nlady-froggy. When they had made this discovery they parted\nrather abruptly, and muttered something, the meaning of\nwhich was not very clear.\n\n\"Bless me,\" said Mr. Croaker, the elder and richer of the\ntwo, \"I must not let that young scapegrace Jumper get the\nbetter of me. A pretty joke indeed that _he_ should think of\nthe beautiful Miss Leapfrog, he who is not worth a rap, and\nis as ugly as a toad.\"\n\n\"Who would have thought,\" said Jumper to himself, \"that that\nold curmudgeon Croaker was going to make love to that dear\nyoung Miss Leapfrog? We will soon see whom she likes best.\"\n\nThe next morning Croaker dressed himself with unusual\nneatness; and that he might appear to better advantage, he\nwent to a barber-frog who lived in a neighbouring arbour,\nand asked to be shaved and to have his wig dressed. The\nbarber had just spread his white cloth, had lathered his\ncustomer's chin, and was flourishing a razor in his face,\nwhen what should catch Croaker's eye through the open\ndoorway but the figure of his cousin Jumper, smartly\ndressed, with his cane under his arm, and a parasol over\nhis head, to keep the sun off his delicate complexion,\nwalking hastily along the path that led to Miss Leapfrog's\nresidence.\n\nTo jump from his chair was Croaker's first impulse, and, sad\nto say, it was his last; for he fell with his throat upon\nthe edge of the barber's razor, and in two minutes breathed\nhis last.\n\nDeep was Miss Leapfrog's grief, and great was Mr. Jumper's\njoy, when the news of this sad misfortune reached their\nears. In the first burst of her anguish the young lady\naccused the barber of having murdered her dear Croaker; but\nMr. Jumper hopped about for joy, and vowed that the barber\nwas the best frog alive. And well he might be joyful, for as\nCroaker had died without a will, Jumper inherited all his\nestates; and when, after a week's mourning, the young lady's\ngrief had somewhat subsided, the happy Mr. Jumper carried\noff the beautiful Miss Leapfrog.\n\nBut alas, how uncertain is happiness either to man or\nfrogs! Two days afterwards, as Jumper was crossing a brook,\na lily-white duck, who had been concealed by the rushes,\nflew at him with open beak and gobbled him up.\n\nAnd the poor bride was left to mourn in silent solitude.\n\n\n\n\n  [Illustration: REYNARD AT HOME AT MALEPARDUS.]\n\nTHE STORY\n\nOF\n\nREYNARD THE FOX.\n\n\nAbout the feast of Whitsuntide, when the woods were in their\nlustyhood and gallantry, when every tree was clothed in the\ngreen and white livery of glorious leaves and sweet-smelling\nblossoms, when the earth was covered with her fairest mantle\nof flowers, and the sweet birds entertained the groves with\nthe delight of their harmonious songs, the LION, the Royal\nKing of Beasts, made solemn proclamation that all quadrupeds\nwhatsoever should attend his court, and celebrate this great\nfestival.\n\nNow when the king had assembled all his subjects together,\nthere was no one absent save Reynard the Fox, against whom\nmany grievous accusations were laid. First came Isegrim the\nWolf, with all his family and kindred, who, standing before\nthe King complained loudly how that Reynard had ill-treated\nhis wife and children. Then there came a little hound named\nCurtise, who accused the Fox of having stolen his pudding in\nthe extreme cold winter-time, when he was nigh dying of\nstarvation. But scarcely had the hound finished his tale,\nwhen, with a fiery countenance, in sprang Tibert the Cat,\nand accused Curtise of having stolen this pudding from\nhimself, and declared that Reynard had righteously taken it\naway.\n\nThen rose the Panther: \"Do you imagine, Tibert,\" quoth he,\n\"that Reynard ought not to be complained of? The whole world\nknows that he is a murderer, a vagabond, and a thief.\"\n\nThen quoth Grimbard the Badger, Reynard's nephew: \"It is a\ncommon proverb, _Malice never spake well_: what can you say\nagainst my kinsman the fox? All these complaints seem to me\nto be either absurd or false. Mine uncle is a gentleman,\nand cannot endure falsehood. I affirm that he liveth as a\nrecluse; he chastiseth his body, and weareth a shirt of\nhair-cloth. It is above a year since he hath eaten any\nflesh; he hath forsaken his castle Malepardus, and abandoned\nall his wealth; he lives only upon alms and good men's\ncharities, doing infinite penance for his sins; so that he\nhas become pale and lean with praying and fasting.\"\n\nWhile Grimbard was still speaking, there came down the hill\nChanticleer the Cock, and with him two hens, who brought\nwith them on a bier their dead sister Copple, who had just\nbeen murdered by Reynard. Chanticleer smote piteously his\nfeathers, and, kneeling before the King, spake in this\nmanner:\n\n  [Illustration: REYNARD IN THE LIKENESS OF A HERMIT.]\n\n\"Most merciful and my great Lord the King, vouchsafe, I\nbeseech you, to hear our complaint, and redress the injuries\nwhich Reynard the Fox has done to me and my children. Not\nlonger ago than last April, when the weather was fair, and I\nwas in the height of my pride and glory, because of my eight\nvaliant sons and seven fair daughters, who were strong and\nfat, and who walked in safety in a yard well-fenced round,\nwherein also were several large dogs for their protection,\nReynard, that false and dissembling traitor, came to me in\nthe likeness of a hermit, and brought me a letter to read,\nsealed with your Majesty's seal, in which I found written,\nthat your Highness had made peace throughout all your realm,\nand that no manner of beast or fowl should do injury one to\nanother; affirming unto me, that, for his own part, he was\nbecome a monk, vowing to perform a daily penance for his\nsins; shewing unto me his beads, his books, and the hair\nshirt next to his skin; saying, in humble wise, unto me,\n'Sir Chanticleer, never henceforth be afraid of me, for I\nhave vowed never more to eat flesh. I am now waxed old, and\nwould only remember my soul; therefore I take my leave, for\nI have yet my noon and my evensong to say.' Which spake, he\ndeparted, saying his Credo as he went, and laid him down\nunder a hawthorn. At this I was exceeding glad, that I took\nno heed, but went and clucked my children together, and\nwalked without the wall, which I shall ever rue; for false\nReynard, lying under a bush, came creeping betwixt us and\nthe gate, and suddenly surprised one of my children, which\nhe trussed up and bore away, to my great sorrow; for, having\ntasted the sweetness of our flesh, neither hunter nor hound\ncan protect or keep him from us. Night and day he waits upon\nus, with that greediness, that of fifteen of my children, he\nhath left me but four unslaughtered; and yesterday, Copple,\nmy daughter, which here lieth dead on this bier, was, after\nher murder, rescued from him. This is my complaint, and this\nI leave to your Highness's mercy to take pity on me, and the\nloss of my fair children.\"\n\nThen spake the King: \"Sir Grimbard, hear you this of your\nuncle the recluse? he hath fasted and prayed well: believe\nme, if I live a year, he shall dearly abide it. As for you,\nChanticleer, your complaint is heard, and shall be cured; to\nyour daughter that is dead we will give the right of burial,\nand with solemn dirges bring her to the earth, with\nworship.\"\n\nAfter this the King sent for his lords and wisest\ncounsellors, to consult how this foul murder of Reynard's\nmight be punished. And in the end, it was concluded that\nReynard should be sent for, and without all excuse, he\nshould be commanded to appear before the King, to answer\nwhatever trespasses should be objected against him; and that\nthis message should be delivered by Bruin the Bear.\n\nTo all this the King gave consent, and calling the bear\nbefore him, he said, \"Sir Bruin, it is our pleasure that you\ndeliver this message; yet in the delivery thereof have great\nregard to yourself; for Reynard is full of policy, and\nknoweth how to dissemble, flatter, and betray; he hath a\nworld of snares to entangle you withal, and without great\nexercise of judgment, will make a scorn and mock of the best\nwisdom breathing.\"\n\n\"My Lord,\" answered Sir Bruin, \"let me alone with Reynard;\nI am not such a truant in discretion to become a mock to his\nknavery;\" and thus, full of jollity, the bear departed.\n\nThe next morning Bruin set out in quest of the fox;\nand after passing through a dark forest and over a high\nmountain, he came to Malepardus, Reynard's chiefest and most\nancient castle. Reynard was at home, and pretended to be ill\nwith eating too much honey. When the bear heard this, he was\nextremely desirous of knowing where such excellent food\ncould be obtained; and Reynard promised to take him to a\ngarden where he should find more honey-combs than ten bears\ncould eat at a meal. But the treacherous rascal took him to\na carpenter's yard, where lay the trunk of a huge oak-tree,\nhalf-riven asunder, with two great wedges in it, so that the\ncleft stood a great way open. \"Behold now, dear uncle,\" said\nthe fox, \"within this tree is so much honey that it is\nunmeasurable.\" The bear, in great haste, thrust his nose and\nfore-paws into the tree; and immediately Reynard pulled out\nthe two great wedges, and caught Bruin in so sharp a trap,\nthat the poor beast howled with pain. This noise quickly\nbrought out the carpenter, who, perceiving how matters\nstood, alarmed the whole village, who came and belaboured\nthe bear's sides with sticks and hoes and pitchforks, until,\nmad with rage, he tore his bleeding face and paws from the\ntree, and rushed blindly into a river that ran close by,\nknocking into the water with him many of the villagers, and\namong them, Dame Julock, the parson's wife, for whose sake\nevery one bestirred himself; and so poor Bruin got safe\naway. After some delay, the bear returned to the court,\nwhere, in dismal accents, he recounted the sad trick that\nReynard had played him.\n\nThen said the King, \"Now, by my crown, I will take such\nrevenge as shall make that traitor tremble;\" and sending for\nhis counsellors, they decided that Reynard should be again\nsummoned to court, and that Tibert the Cat should be the\nbearer of the message. \"It is your wisdom, Sir Tibert, I\nemploy,\" said the great King, \"and not your strength: many\nprevail with art, when violence returns with lost labour.\"\n\nSo Tibert made ready, and set out with the King's letter to\nMalepardus, where he found the fox standing before his\ncastle-gates; to whom Tibert said, \"Health to my fair cousin\nReynard; the King, by me, summons you to the court, in which\nif you fail, there is nothing more assured unto you than a\ncruel and a sudden death.\"\n\nThe fox answered, \"Welcome, dear cousin Tibert; I obey your\ncommand, and wish my Lord the King infinite days of\nhappiness; only let me entreat you to rest with me to-night,\nand take such cheer as my simple house affordeth, and\nto-morrow, as early as you will, we will go towards the\ncourt, for I have no kinsman I trust so dearly as yourself.\"\n\nTibert replied, \"You speak like a noble gentleman; and\nme-thinks it is best now to go forward, for the moon shines\nas bright as day.\"\n\n\"Nay, dear cousin,\" said the fox, \"let us take the day\nbefore us, so may we encounter with our friends; the night\nis full of danger.\"\n\n\"Well,\" said the cat, \"if it be your pleasure, I am content;\nwhat shall we eat?\"\n\nReynard said, \"Truly my store is small; the best I have is a\nhoney-comb, pleasant and sweet; what think you of it?\"\n\nTo which Tibert replieth, \"It is meat I little respect, and\nseldom eat; I had rather have one mouse than all the honey\nin Europe.\"\n\n\"A mouse!\" said Reynard; \"why, my dear cousin, here dwelleth\na priest hard by, who hath a barn by his house so full of\nmice, that I think half the wagons in the parish are not\nable to bear them.\"\n\n\"Oh, dear Reynard,\" quoth the cat, \"do but lead me thither,\nand make me your servant for ever.\"\n\n\"Why,\" said the fox, \"love you mice so exceedingly?\"\n\n\"Beyond expression,\" quoth the cat.\n\n  [Illustration: SIR TIBERT DELIVERING THE KING'S MESSAGE.]\n\nThen away they went with all speed to the priest's barn,\nwhich was well walled about with a mud wall, where, but the\nnight before, the fox had broken in and stolen an exceeding\nfat hen, at which the priest was so angry, that he had set a\nsnare before the hole to catch him at his next coming, which\nthe false fox knew of; and therefore said to the cat, \"Sir\nTibert, creep in at this hole, and believe it, you shall not\ntarry a minute's space but you shall have more mice than you\nare able to devour; hark, you may hear how they peep. When\nyou have eaten your fill, come again, and I will stay and\nawait for you here at this hole, that to-morrow we may go\ntogether to the court; but, good cousin, stay not too long,\nfor I know my wife will hourly expect us.\"\n\nThen Tibert sprang quickly in at the hole, but was presently\ncaught fast by the neck in the snare, which as soon as the\ncat felt, he quickly leaped back again; and the snare\nrunning close together, he was half-strangled, so that he\nbegan to struggle and cry out and exclaim most piteously.\n\nThen the priest, hearing the outcry, alarmed all his\nservants, crying out, \"The Fox is taken!\" and away they all\nran to where poor Tibert was caught in the snare, and,\nwithout finding out their mistake, they beat him most\nunmercifully, and cruelly wounded one of his eyes. The cat,\nmad with pain, suddenly gnawed the cord, and seizing the\npriest by the legs, bit him and tore him in such a way that\nhe fell down in a swoon, and then, as every one ran to help\nhis master, Tibert leaped out of the hole, and limped as\nfast as his wounded legs would carry him to the court, where\nthe King was infinitely angry at the treatment he had\nreceived.\n\nThen Grimbard the Badger, Reynard's nephew, fearing it\nwas likely to go hard with his uncle, offered to go to\nMalepardus and take the King's message to his most subtle\nkinsman; to which his Majesty graciously consented. So\nGrimbard set forth; and when he came to Malepardus, he found\nReynard with Dame Ermelin his wife sporting with their\nchildren. When Grimbard had delivered the King's letter,\nReynard found that it would be better for him to shew\nhimself at court at once; so bidding an affectionate\nfarewell to his dear wife and children, he immediately set\nout with the badger to go with him before the King. On his\nway, Reynard, remembering the heavy crimes he had committed,\nand fearing that his end was at hand, desired of the holy\nGrimbard, who had always led a hermit's life, that he would\nhear him confess, and set him a penance for his sins.\nGrimbard bade him proceed. And the fox confessed how\nshamefully he had ill-used the bear, and the cat, and the\nwolf, and Chanticleer's children, and many other ill-doings\nduring his life; and when he had finished, he knelt before\nGrimbard, and said, \"Thus have I told you my wickedness; now\norder my penance, as shall seem fit in your discretion.\"\n\nGrimbard was both learned and wise; and therefore brake a\nrod from a tree, and said, \"Uncle, you shall three times\nstrike your body with this rod, and then lay it down upon\nthe ground, and spring three times over it without bowing\nyour legs or stumbling; then shall you take it up and kiss\nit gently, in sign of meekness and obedience to your\npenance; which done, you are absolved of your sins committed\nup to this day, for I pronounce unto you clear remission.\"\n\nAt this the fox was exceeding glad; and immediately he\nperformed the penance to Grimbard's satisfaction. But as\nthey went journeying on, it happened that they passed by the\npoultry-yard of a convent; and as one young cock strayed far\nfrom the rest, Reynard leaped at him, and caught him by the\nfeathers, but the cock escaped.\n\n\"Villain that you are,\" said Grimbard, \"will you, for a\nsilly pullet, fall again into your sins?\"\n\nTo which Reynard answered, \"Pardon me, dear nephew, I had\nforgotten myself; but I will ask forgiveness, and mine eye\nshall no more wander.\"\n\nHowever, Grimbard noted that he turned many times to look at\nthe poultry. But soon afterwards they arrived at the court.\n\nAs soon as it was bruited in the court that Reynard the Fox\nand Grimbard his kinsman were arrived there, every one, from\nthe highest to the lowest, prepared himself to complain\nof the fox; at which Reynard's heart quaked, but his\ncountenance kept the old look, and he went as proudly as\never he was wont with his nephew through the high street,\nand came as gallantly into the court as if he had been the\nKing's son, and as clear from trespass as the most innocent\nwhosoever; and when he came before the chair of state in\nwhich the King sat, he said, \"Heaven give your Majesty glory\nand renown above all the princes of the earth.\"\n\nBut the King cut him short at these words, and said: \"Peace,\ntraitorous Reynard; think you I can be caught with the music\nof your words? no, it hath too oft deceived me; the peace\nwhich I commanded and swore unto, that have you broken.\"\n\nThen Bellin the Ram, and Oleway his wife, and Bruin the\nBear, and Tibert the Cat, and Isegrim the Wolf, and Kyward\nthe Hare, and Bruel the Goose, and Baldwin the Ass, and\nBortle the Bull, and Hamel the Ox, and Chanticleer the Cock,\nand Partlett the Hen, and many others, came forward; and all\nthese with one entire noise cried out against the fox, and\nso moved the King with their complaints, that the fox was\ntaken and arrested.\n\nUpon this arrest, a parliament was called; and\nnotwithstanding that he answered every objection severally,\nand with great art, Reynard was condemned, and judgment\nwas given that he should be hanged till his body was dead;\nat which sentence the fox cast down his head, for all\nhis jollity was lost, and no flattery nor no words now\nprevailed.\n\nThen Isegrim on the one side and Bruin on the other led the\npoor fox to the gallows, Tibert running before with the\nhalter. And when they were come to the place of execution,\nthe King and the Queen, and all the rest of the nobility,\ntook their places to see the fox die.\n\nWhen all things were prepared, the fox said: \"Now my heart\nis heavy, for death stands in all his horror before me,\nand I cannot escape. My dread Lord the King, and you my\nsovereign Lady the Queen, and you my lords that stand to\nbehold me die, I beseech you grant me this charitable boon,\nthat I may unlock my heart before you, and clear my soul of\nher burdens, so that hereafter no man may be blamed for me;\nwhich done, my death will be easy.\"\n\nEvery creature now took compassion on the fox, and said his\nrequest was small, beseeching the King to grant it, which\nwas done; and then the fox thus spake: \"Help me, Heaven,\nfor I see no man here whom I have not offended; yet was this\nevil no natural inclination in me, for in my youth I was\naccounted as virtuous as any breathing. This know, I have\nplayed with the lambs all the day long, and taken delight in\ntheir pretty bleating; yet at last in my play I bit one, and\nthe taste of its blood was so sweet unto me, that I approved\nthe flesh, and both were so good, that since I could never\nforbear it. This liquorish humour drew me into the woods\namongst the goats, where hearing the bleating of the little\nkids, I slew one of them, and afterwards two more, which\nslaughter made me so hardy, that then I fell to murder hens,\ngeese, and other poultry. And thus my crimes increased by\ncustom, and fury so possessed me, that all was fish which\ncame to my net. After this, in the winter season, I met with\nIsegrim, where, as he lay hid under a hollow tree, he\nunfolded unto me how he was my uncle, and laid the pedigree\ndown so plain, that from that day forth we became fellows\nand companions; which knot of friendship I may ever curse,\nfor then began the flood of our thefts and slaughters. He\nstole the great things, I the small; he murdered nobles,\nI the mean subjects; and in all our actions his share was\nstill ever the greatest: when he got a ram or a calf, his\nfury would hardly afford me the horns to pick on; nay, when\nhe had an ox or a cow, after himself, his wife, and his\nseven children were served, nothing remained to me but the\nbare bones to pick. This I speak not in that I wanted (for\nit is well known I have more plate, jewels, and coin than\ntwenty carts are able to carry), but only to shew his\ningratitude.\"\n\nWhen the King heard him speak of this infinite treasure and\nriches, his heart grew inflamed with a desire thereof; and\nhe said, \"Reynard, where is that treasure you speak of?\"\n\nThe fox answered: \"My Lord, I shall willingly tell you, for\nit is true the wealth was stolen; and had it not been stolen\nin that manner which it was, it had cost your highness your\nlife (which Heaven, I beseech, keep ever in protection).\"\n\nWhen the Queen heard that dangerous speech, she started, and\nsaid: \"What dangers are these you speak of, Reynard? I do\ncommand you, upon your soul's health, to unfold these\ndoubtful speeches, and to keep nothing concealed which\nconcerns the life of my dread Lord.\"\n\nThen the fox in these words unfolded to the King and Queen\nthis most foul treason: \"Know, then, my dread sovereign Lord\nthe King, that my father, by a strange accident, digging in\nthe ground, found out King Ermerick's great treasure,--a\nmass of jewels infinite and innumerable; of which being\npossessed, he grew so proud and haughty, that he held in\nscorn all the beasts of the wilderness, which before had\nbeen his kinsmen and companions. At last he caused Tibert\nthe Cat to go into the vast forest of Arden to Bruin the\nBear, and to tender to him his homage and fealty; and to say\nthat if it would please him to be king, he should come into\nFlanders, where he would shew him means how to set the crown\nupon his head. Bruin was glad of this embassage (for he was\nexceeding ambitious, and had long thirsted for sovereignty),\nand thereupon came into Flanders, where my father received\nhim nobly. Then presently he sent for the wise Grimbard, my\nnephew, and for Isegrim the Wolf, and for Tibert the Cat;\nthen these five coming between Gaunt and the village called\nElfe, they held a solemn council for the space of a whole\nnight, in which, by the assistance of the evil one, and the\nstrong confidence of my father's riches, it was there\nconcluded that your Majesty should be forthwith murdered;\nwhich to effect, they took a solemn oath in this manner: the\nbear, my father, the badger, and the cat, laying their hands\non Isegrim's crown, swore, first to make Bruin their king,\nand to place him in the chair of estate at Acon, and to set\nthe imperial diadem on his head; and if by any of your\nMajesty's blood and alliance they should be gainsaid, that\nthen my father with his treasure should hire those which\nshould utterly chase and root them out of the forest. Now\nafter this determination held and finished, it happened that\nmy nephew Grimbard being on a time high flown with wine,\nhe discovered this dread plot to Dame Slopecade his wife,\ncommanding her upon her life to keep secret the same; but\nshe, forgetful of her charge, disclosed it in confession to\nmy wife, as they went a pilgrimage over an heath, with like\nconjuration of secrecy. But she, woman-like, contained it no\nlonger than till she met with me, and gave me a full\nknowledge of all that had passed, yet so as by all means\nI must keep it secret too, for she had sworn by the three\nkings of Cologne never to disclose it: and withal she gave\nme such assurance by certain tokens, that I right well found\nall was true which she had spoken; insomuch that the very\naffright thereof made my hair stand upright, and my heart\nbecome like lead, cold and heavy in my bosom.\n\n\"But to proceed from this sorrow, I began to meditate how\nI might undo my father's false conspiracies, who sought to\nbring a base traitor and a slave into the throne imperial;\nfor I well perceived, as long as he held the treasure, there\nwas a possibility of deposing your Majesty. And this\ntroubled my thought exceedingly, so that I laboured how I\nmight find out where my father's treasure was hid; and to\nthat end I watched and attended night and day in the woods,\nin the bushes, and in the open fields; nay in all places\nwheresoever my father laid his eyes, there was I ever\nwatching and attending. Now it happened on a time, as I was\nlaid down flat on the ground, I saw my father come running\nout of a hole, and as soon as he was come out, he gazed\nround about him, to see if any discovered him; then seeing\nthe coast clear, he stopped the hole with sand, and made it\nso even, smooth, and plain, that no curious eye could\ndiscern a difference betwixt it and the other earth; and\nwhere the print of his foot remained, that with his tail he\nstroked over, and with his mouth so smoothed, that no man\nmight perceive it: and indeed that and many other subtilties\nI learned of him there at that instant. When he had thus\nfinished, away he went towards the village about his private\naffairs. Then went I presently towards the hole, and\nnotwithstanding all his subtilty, I quickly found it out;\nand then entered I the cave, where I found that innumerable\nquantity of treasure, which cannot be expressed; which\nfound, I took Ermelin my wife to help me; and we ceased not,\nday nor night, with infinite great toil and labour, to carry\nand convey away this treasure to another place, much more\nconvenient for us, where we laid it safe from the search of\nany creature.\n\n\"Thus by my art only was the treason of Bruin defeated, for\nwhich I now suffer. From hence sprang all my misfortune, as\nthus: those foul traitors, Bruin and Isegrim, being of the\nKing's privatest council, and sitting in high and great\nauthority, tread upon me, poor Reynard, and work my\ndisgrace, notwithstanding, for your Majesty's sake, I have\nlost my natural father. O my dread Lord, what is he, or who\ncan tender you a better affection, thus to lose himself to\nsave you?\"\n\nThen the King and Queen, having great hope to get this\ninestimable treasure from Reynard, took him from the gibbet;\nand the King taking a straw from the ground, pardoned the\nfox of all his trespasses which either he or his father had\never committed. If the fox now began to smile, it was no\nwonder; the sweetness of life required it: yet he fell down\nbefore the King and Queen, and humbly thanked them for\nmercy, protesting that for that favour he would make them\nthe richest princes in the world.\n\nThen the King began to inquire where all these treasures\nwere hid, and Reynard told that he had hid them in a wood\ncalled Hustreloe, near a river named Crekinpit. But when the\nKing said that he had never heard of such a place, Reynard\ncalled forth Kyward the Hare from among the rest of the\nbeasts, and commanded him to come before the King, charging\nhim, upon his faith and allegiance which he bore to the King\nand Queen, to answer truly to such questions as he should\nask him.\n\nThe hare answered, \"I will speak truth in all things, though\nI were sure to die for the same.\"\n\nThen the fox said, \"Know you not where Crekinpit floweth?\"\n\n\"Yes,\" said the hare, \"I have known it any time these dozen\nyears; it runneth in a wood called Hustreloe, upon a vast\nand wide wilderness.\"\n\n\"Well,\" said the fox, \"you have spoken sufficiently; go to\nyour place again;\" so away went the hare.\n\nThen said the fox, \"My sovereign Lord the King, what say you\nnow to my relation; am I worthy your belief or no?\"\n\n  [Illustration: REYNARD BRINGS FORWARD THE HARE AS\n    HIS WITNESS.]\n\nThe King said, \"Yes, Reynard, and I beseech thee excuse my\njealousies; it was my ignorance which did thee evil;\ntherefore forthwith make preparation that we may go to this\npit where the treasure lieth.\"\n\nBut the fox answered that he could not go with his Majesty\nwithout dishonour; for that at present he was under\nexcommunication, and that it was necessary that he should go\nto Rome to be absolved, and that from thence he intended to\ntravel in the Holy Land. \"The course you propose is good,\"\nsaid the King; \"go on and prosper in your intent.\"\n\nThen the King mounted on a rock, and addressing his\nsubjects, told them how that, for divers reasons best known\nto himself, he had freely given pardon to Reynard, who had\ncast his wickedness behind him, and would no more be guilty\nof wrongdoing; and furthermore, he commanded them all to\nreverence and honour not only Reynard, but also his wife and\nchildren. At this, Isegrim the Wolf and Bruin the Bear\ninveighed against the fox in such an unseemly way, that his\nMajesty caused them both to be arrested for high treason.\nNow when the fox saw this, he begged of the Queen that he\nmight have so much of the bear's skin as would make him a\nlarge scrip for his journey; and also the skin of the wolf's\nfeet for a pair of shoes, because of the stony ways he would\nhave to pass over. To this the Queen consented, and Reynard\nsaw his orders executed.\n\nThe next morning Reynard caused his new shoes to be well\noiled, and made them fit his feet as tightly as they had\nfitted the wolf's. And the King commanded Bellin the Ram to\nsay mass before the fox; and when he had sung mass and used\nmany ceremonies over the fox, he hung about Reynard's neck\nhis rosary of beads, and gave him into his hands a palmer's\nstaff.\n\nThen the King took leave of him, and commanded all that were\nabout him, except the bear and the wolf, to attend Reynard\nsome part of his journey. Oh! he that had seen how gallant\nand personable Reynard was, and how well his staff and his\nmail became him, as also how fit his shoes were for his\nfeet, it could not have chosen but have stirred in him very\nmuch laughter. But when they had got onward on their way,\nthe fox entreated all the beasts to return and pray for him,\nand only begged of Bellin the Ram and Kyward the Hare that\nthey would accompany him as far as Malepardus.\n\nThus marched these tree together; and when Reynard was come\nto the gates of his own house, he said to Bellin, \"Cousin, I\nwill entreat you to stay here without a little, whilst I and\nKyward go in.\" Bellin was well content; and so the fox and\nthe hare went into Malepardus, where they found Dame Ermelin\nlying on the ground with her younglings about her, who had\nsorrowed exceedingly for the loss and danger of her husband;\nbut when she saw his return, her joy was ten times doubled.\nBut beholding his mail, his staff, and his shoes, she grew\ninto great admiration, and said, \"Dear husband, how have you\nfared?\" so he told all that had passed with him at the\nKing's court, as well his danger as his release, and that\nnow he was to go a pilgrimage. As for Kyward, he said the\nKing had bestowed him upon them, to do with him what they\npleased, affirming that Kyward was the first that had\ncomplained of him, for which, questionless, he vowed to be\nsharply revenged.\n\n  [Illustration: REYNARD ON HIS PILGRIMAGE TO ROME.]\n\nWhen Kyward heard these words, he was much appalled, and\nwould fain have fled away; but he could not, for the fox had\ngot between him and the gate; who presently seized the hare\nby the neck, at which the hare cried unto Bellin for help,\nbut could not be heard, for the fox in a trice had torn out\nhis throat; which done, he, his wife, and young ones feasted\ntherewith merrily, eating the flesh, and drinking to the\nKing's health.\n\nAll this while stood Bellin the Ram at the gate, and grew\nexceeding angry both against the fox and the hare, that they\nmade him wait so long; and therefore called out aloud for\nReynard to come away, which when Reynard heard, he went\nforth, and said softly to the ram, \"Good Bellin, be not\noffended for Kyward is in earnest conference with his\ndearest aunt, and entreated me to say unto you, that if you\nwould please to walk before he would speedily overtake you,\nfor he is light of foot and speedier than you: nor will his\naunt part with him thus suddenly, for she and her children\nare much perplexed at my departure.\"\n\n\"Ay, but,\" quoth Bellin, \"methought I heard Kyward cry for\nhelp.\"\n\n\"How, cry for help? can you imagine he shall receive hurt in\nmy house? far be such a thought from you; but I will tell\nyou the reason. As soon as we were come into my house, and\nthat Ermelin my wife understood of my pilgrimage, presently\nshe fell down in a swoon, which when Kyward saw, he cried\naloud, 'O Bellin come, help my aunt, she dies, she dies!'\"\n\nThen said the ram: \"In sadness I mistook the cry, and\nthought the hare had been in danger.\"\n\n\"It was your too much care of him,\" said the fox. \"But,\nletting this discourse pass, you remember, Bellin, that\nyesterday the King and his council commanded me that, before\nI departed from the land, I should send unto him two\nletters, which I have made ready, and will entreat you,\nmy dearest cousin, to bear them to his Majesty.\"\n\nThe ram answered: \"I would willingly do you the service if\nthere be nothing but honourable matter contained in your\nletters; but I am unprovided of any thing to carry them in.\"\n\nThe fox said: \"That is provided for you already, for you\nshall have my mail, which you may conveniently hang about\nyour neck; I know they will be thankfully received of his\nMajesty, for they contain matter of great importance.\"\n\nThen Bellin promised to carry them. So the fox returned into\nhis house, and took the mail, and put therein the head of\nKyward, and brought it to the ram, and gave him a great\ncharge not to look therein till it was presented to the\nKing, as he did expect the King's favour; and that he might\nfurther endear himself with his Majesty, he bade the ram\ntake upon him the inditing of the letters, \"which will be so\npleasing to the King, that questionless he will pour upon\nyou many favours.\"\n\nThis said, Bellin took leave of the fox and went toward the\ncourt, in which journey he made such speed, that he came\nthither before noon, where he found the King in his palace\nsitting amongst the nobility.\n\nThe King wondered when he saw the ram come in with the mail\nwhich was made of the bear's skin, and said: \"Whence comest\nthou, Bellin, and where is the fox, that you have that mail\nabout you?\"\n\nBellin answered: \"My dread Lord, I attended the noble fox\nto his house, where, after some repose, he desired me to\nbear certain letters to your Majesty of infinite great\nimportance, to which I easily consented. Wherefore he\ndelivered me the letters enclosed in this mail, which\nletters I myself indited, and I doubt not but they are\nsuch as will give your highness both contentment and\nsatisfaction.\" Presently the King commanded the letters to\nbe delivered to Bocart, his secretary, who was an excellent\nlinguist and understood all languages, that he might read\nthem publicly; so that he and Tibert the Cat took the mail\nfrom Bellin's neck, and opening the same, instead of letters\nthey drew out the head of Kyward the Hare, at which being\namazed, they said: \"Wo and alas, what letters call you\nthese? Believe it, my dread Lord, here is nothing but the\nhead of poor murdered Kyward.\"\n\nWhich the King seeing, he said: \"Alas, how unfortunate was\nI to believe the traitorous fox!\" And with that, being\noppressed with anger, grief, and shame, he held down his\nhead for a good space, and so did the Queen also. But in the\nend, shaking his curled locks, he groaned out such a\ndreadful noise, that all the beasts of the forest did\ntremble to hear it.\n\nThen the King, full of wrath, commanded the bear and the\nwolf to be released from prison, and gave to them and to\ntheir heirs for ever Bellin and all his generation.\n\nThus was peace made between the King and these nobles, and\nBellin the Ram was forthwith slain by them; and all these\nprivileges doth the wolf hold to this hour, nor could ever\nany reconcilement be made between the wolf's and the ram's\nkindred. When this peace was thus finished, the King, for\njoy thereof, proclaimed a feast to be held for twelve days\nafter, which was done with all solemnity.\n\nTo this feast came manner all of wild beasts, for it was\nknown through the whole kingdom, nor was there wanting any\npleasure that could be imagined. Also to this feast resorted\nabundance of feathered fowl, and all other creatures that\nheld peace with his Majesty, and no one missing but the fox\nonly.\n\nNow after this feast had thus continued in all pomp the\nspace of eight days, about high noon came Laprell the Rabbit\nbefore the King and Queen, as they sat at dinner, and with a\nheavy and lamentable voice said: \"My gracious and great\nLord, have pity upon my misery and attend to my complaint,\nwhich is of great violence which Reynard the Fox would\nyesterday have committed against me. As I passed by the\ncastle of Malepardus, supposing to go peaceably towards my\nnest, I saw the fox, standing without his gates, attired\nlike a pilgrim and telling his beads so devoutly, that I\nsaluted him; but he, returning no answer, stretched forth\nhis right foot, and with his pilgrim's staff gave me such a\nblow on the neck between the head and shoulders, that I\nimagined my head had been stricken from my body; but yet so\nmuch memory was left me that I leaped from his claws, though\nmost grievously hurt and wounded. At this he was wrathful\nextremely, because I escaped; only of one of my ears he\nutterly deprived me, which I beseech your Majesty in your\nroyal nature to pity, and that this bloody murderer may not\nlive thus to afflict your poor subjects.\"\n\nThe royal King was much moved with anger when he heard this\ncomplaint, so that his eyes darted out fire amongst the\nbeams of majesty; his countenance was dreadful and cruel to\nlook on, and the whole court trembled to behold him. In the\nend he said: \"By my crown, I will so revenge these outrages\ncommitted against my dignity, that goodness shall adore me,\nand the wicked shall die with the remembrance; his falsehood\nand flattery shall no more get belief in me. Is this his\njourney to Rome and to the Holy Land? are these the fruits\nof his mail, his staff, and other ornaments becoming a\ndevout pilgrim? Well, he shall find the reward of his\ntreason. I will besiege Malepardus instantly, and destroy\nReynard and his generation from the earth for ever.\"\n\n  [Illustration: REYNARD ATTACKETH LAPRELL THE RABBIT.]\n\nWhen Grimbard heard this, he grew exceedingly sorry, and\nstealing from the rest, he made all haste to Malepardus, and\ntold to his uncle all that had happened. Reynard received\nhim with great courtesy, and the next morning accompanied\nhim back to court, confessing on his way many heinous sins,\nand obtaining absolution from the badger. The King received\nhim with a severe and stately countenance, and immediately\nasked him touching the complaint of Laprell the Rabbit.\n\nTo which Reynard made answer: \"Indeed, sire, what Laprell\nreceived he most richly deserved. I gave him a cake when he\nwas hungry; and when my little son Rossel wanted to share a\nbit, the rabbit struck him on the mouth and made his teeth\nbleed; whereupon my eldest son Reynardine forthwith leaped\nupon him, and would have slain him had I not gone to the\nrescue.\" Then the rabbit, fearing Reynard, stole away out of\ncourt.\n\n\"But,\" quoth the King, \"I must charge you with another foul\ntreason. When I had pardoned all your great transgressions,\nand you had promised me to go a pilgrimage to the Holy Land;\nwhen I had furnished you with mail, scrip, and all things\nfitting that holy order; then, in the greatest despite, you\nsent me back in the mail, by Bellin the Ram, the head of\nKyward the Hare; a thing so notoriously to my disgrace and\ndishonour, that no treason can be fouler.\"\n\nThen spake Reynard to the King, and said, \"Alas, my\nsovereign Lord, what is that you have said? Is good Kyward\nthe Hare dead? Oh, where is then Bellin the Ram, or what did\nhe bring to your Majesty at his return? For it is certain I\ndelivered him three rich and inestimable jewels, I would not\nfor the wealth of India they should be detained from you;\nthe chief of them I determined for you my Lord the King,\nand the other two for my sovereign Lady the Queen.\"\n\n\"But,\" said the King, \"I received nothing but the head of\npoor murdered Kyward, for which I executed the ram, he\nhaving confessed the deed to be done by his advice and\ncounsel.\"\n\n\"Is this true?\" said the fox; \"then wo is me that ever I was\nborn, for there are lost the goodliest jewels that ever were\nin the possession of any prince living; would I had died\nwhen you were thus defrauded, for I know it will be the\ndeath of my wife, nor will she ever henceforth esteem me.\"\n\nThen Reynard told the King and Queen of the great value of\nthese inestimable jewels. One was a gold ring, another a\ncomb polished like unto fine silver, and the third was a\nglass mirror; and so great were the virtues of this rare\nglass that Reynard shed tears to think of the loss of it.\nWhen the fox had told all this, he thus concluded: \"If any\none can charge me with crime and prove it by witness, here\nI stand to endure the uttermost the law can inflict upon me;\nbut if malice only slander me without witness, I crave the\ncombat, according to the law and instance of the court.\"\n\nThen said the King, \"Reynard, you say well, nor know I any\nthing more of Kyward's death than the bringing of his head\nunto me by Bellin the Ram; therefore of it I here acquit\nyou.\"\n\n\"My dear Lord,\" said the fox, \"I humbly thank you; yet is\nhis death grievous unto me.\"\n\nBut Isegrim the Wolf was not content with this conclusion,\nand defied the fox to mortal combat. This challenge the fox\naccepted; and the next day was appointed for the meeting.\n\nWhen all the ceremonies were done, and none but the\ncombatants were in the lists, the wolf went toward the fox\nwith infinite rage and fury, thinking to take him in his\nfore-feet; but the fox leaped nimbly from him, and the wolf\npursued him, so that there began a tedious chase between\nthem, on which their friends gazed. The wolf taking larger\nstrides than the fox, often overtook him, and lifted up his\nfeet to strike him; but the fox avoided the blow, and smote\nhim on the face with his tail, so that the wolf was stricken\nalmost blind, and was forced to rest while he cleared his\neyes; which advantage when Reynard saw, he scratched up the\ndust with his feet, and threw it in the eyes of the wolf.\nThis grieved him worse than the former, so that he durst\nfollow him no longer, for the dust and sand sticking in his\neyes smarted so sore, that of force he must rub and wash it\naway; which Reynard seeing, with all the fury he had he ran\nupon him, and with his teeth gave him three sore wounds on\nhis head.\n\nThen the wolf being enraged, said, \"I will make an end of\nthis combat, for I know my very weight is able to crush him\nto pieces; and I lose much of my reputation, to suffer him\nthus long to contend against me.\" And this said, he struck\nthe fox again so sore a blow on the head with his foot, that\nhe fell down to the ground; and ere he could recover himself\nand arise, the wolf caught him in his feet and threw him\nunder him, lying upon him in such wise, as if he would have\npressed him to death.\n\nThen the fox bethought himself how he might best get free;\nand thrusting his hand down, he caught the wolf fast by the\nbelly, and he wrung him so extremely hard thereby, that he\nmade him shriek and howl out with the anguish, and in the\nend the wolf fell over and over in a swoon; then presently\nReynard leaped upon him, and drew him about the lists and\ndragged him by the legs, and struck, wounded, and bit him in\nmany places, so that the whole field might take notice\nthereof.\n\nThen a great shout was raised, the trumpets were sounded,\nand every one cried, \"Honour to the fox for this glorious\nconquest.\" Reynard thanked them all kindly, and received\ntheir congratulations with great joy and gladness. And, the\nmarshals going before, they went all to the King, guarding\nthe fox on every side, all the trumpets, pipes, and\nminstrelsy sounding before him.\n\nWhen Reynard came before the King he fell on his knees, but\nthe King bade him stand up, and said to him, \"Reynard, you\nmay well rejoice, for you have won much honour this day;\ntherefore here I discharge you, and set you free to go\nwhither your own will leads you.\" So the court broke up,\nand every beast returned to his own home.\n\nWith Reynard, all his friends and kinsfolk, to the number of\nforty, took their leave also of the King, and went away with\nthe fox, who was no little glad that he had sped so well,\nand stood so far in the King's favour; for now he had power\nenough to advance whom he pleased, and pull down any that\nenvied his fortune.\n\nAfter some travel the fox and his friends came to his\nborough or castle of Malepardus, where they all, in noble\nand courteous manner, took leave of each other, and Reynard\ndid to every one of them great reverence, and thanked\nthem for the love and honour he had received from them,\nprotesting evermore to remain their faithful servant, and to\nsend them in all things wherein his life or goods might be\navailable unto them; and so they shook hands and departed.\n\nThen the fox went to Dame Ermelin his wife, who welcomed him\nwith great tenderness; and to her and her children he\nrelated at large all the wonders which had befallen him at\ncourt, and missed no tittle or circumstance therein. Then\ngrew they proud that his fortune was so excellent; and the\nfox spent his days from thenceforth, with his wife and\nchildren, in great joy and content.\n\n\nROBSON, LEVEY, AND FRANKLYN, GREAT NEW STREET.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n           *       *       *       *\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nErrata (noted by transcriber)\n\n  that demure conscience-striken pair  [_text unchanged_]\n  we will give the right of burial\n    [_text unchanged: error for \"rite\"?_]","title":"The Comical Creatures from Wurtemberg: Second Edition","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":14577}