The Wolf and the Fox

by The Brothers Grimm

　　

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The wolf had the fox with him, and whatsoever the wolf wished, that thefox was compelled to do, for he was the weaker, and he would gladly havebeen rid of his master. It chanced that once as they were going throughthe forest, the wolf said, "Red-fox, get me something to eat, or else Iwill eat thee thyself." Then the fox answered, "I know a farm-yard wherethere are two young lambs; if thou art inclined, we will fetch one ofthem." That suited the wolf, and they went thither, and the fox stolethe little lamb, took it to the wolf, and went away. The wolf devouredit, but was not satisfied with one; he wanted the other as well, andwent to get it. As, however, he did it so awkwardly, the mother of thelittle lamb heard him, and began to cry out terribly, and to bleat sothat the farmer came running there. They found the wolf, and beat himso mercilessly, that he went to the fox limping and howling. "Thou hastmisled me finely," said he; "I wanted to fetch the other lamb, and thecountry folks surprised me, and have beaten me to a jelly." The foxreplied, "Why art thou such a glutton?"

　　Next day they again went into the country, and the greedy wolf once moresaid, "Red-fox, get me something to eat, or I will eat thee thyself." Thenanswered the fox, "I know a farm-house where the wife is baking pancakesto-night; we will get some of them for ourselves." They went there,and the fox slipped round the house, and peeped and sniffed about untilhe discovered where the dish was, and then drew down six pancakes andcarried them to the wolf. "There is something for thee to eat," said heto him, and then went his way. The wolf swallowed down the pancakes in aninstant, and said, "They make one want more," and went thither and torethe whole dish down so that it broke in pieces. This made such a greatnoise that the woman came out, and when she saw the wolf she called thepeople, who hurried there, and beat him as long as their sticks wouldhold together, till with two lame legs, and howling loudly, he got backto the fox in the forest. "How abominably thou hast misled me!" cried he,"the peasants caught me, and tanned my skin for me." But the fox replied,"Why art thou such a glutton?"

　　On the third day, when they were out together, and the wolf could onlylimp along painfully, he again said, "Red-fox, get me something to eat,or I will eat thee thyself." The fox answered, "I know a man who hasbeen killing, and the salted meat is lying in a barrel in the cellar;we will get that." Said the wolf, "I will go when thou dost, that thoumayest help me if I am not able to get away." "I am willing," saidthe fox, and showed him the by-paths and ways by which at length theyreached the cellar. There was meat in abundance, and the wolf attackedit instantly and thought, "There is plenty of time before I need leaveoff!" The fox liked it also, but looked about everywhere, and often ranto the hole by which they had come in, and tried if his body was stillthin enough to slip through it. The wolf said, "Dear fox, tell me whythou art running here and there so much, and jumping in and out?"

　　"I must see that no one is coming," replied the crafty fellow. "Don'teat too much!" Then said the wolf, "I shall not leave until the barrelis empty." In the meantime the farmer, who had heard the noise of thefox's jumping, came into the cellar. When the fox saw him he was outof the hole at one bound. The wolf wanted to follow him, but he hadmade 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.

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