الفصل الفصل 67 · The Wolf and the Man

. The Wolf and the Man

Once on a time the fox was talking to the wolf of the strength of man;

how no animal could withstand him, and how all were obliged to employ

cunning in order to preserve themselves from him. Then the wolf

answered, “If I had but the chance of seeing a man for once, I would

set on him notwithstanding.” “I can help thee to do that,” said the

fox. “Come to me early to-morrow morning, and I will show thee one.”

The wolf presented himself betimes, and the fox took him out on the

road by which the huntsmen went daily. First came an old discharged

soldier. “Is that a man?” inquired the wolf. “No,” answered the fox,

“that was one.” Afterwards came a little boy who was going to school.

“Is that a man?” “No, that is going to be one.” At length came a hunter

with his double-barrelled gun at his back, and hanger by his side. Said

the fox to the wolf, “Look, there comes a man, thou must attack him,

but I will take myself off to my hole.” The wolf then rushed on the

man. When the huntsman saw him he said, “It is a pity that I have not

loaded with a bullet,” aimed, and fired his small shot in his face. The

wolf pulled a very wry face, but did not let himself be frightened, and

attacked him again, on which the huntsman gave him the second barrel.

The wolf swallowed his pain, and rushed on the huntsman, but he drew

out his bright hanger, and gave him a few cuts with it right and left,

so that, bleeding everywhere, he ran howling back to the fox. “Well,

brother wolf,” said the fox, “how hast thou got on with man?” “Ah!”

replied the wolf, “I never imagined the strength of man to be what it

is! First, he took a stick from his shoulder, and blew into it, and

then something flew into my face which tickled me terribly; then he

breathed once more into the stick, and it flew into my nose like

lightning and hail; when I was quite close, he drew a white rib out of

his side, and he beat me so with it that I was all but left lying

dead.” “See what a braggart thou art!” said the fox. “Thou throwest thy

hatchet so far that thou canst not fetch it back again!”