Chương Chương 122 · The Fox and the Horse

. The Fox and the Horse

A peasant had a faithful horse which had grown old and could do no more

work, so his master would no longer give him anything to eat and said,

“I can certainly make no more use of thee, but still I mean well by

thee; if thou provest thyself still strong enough to bring me a lion

here, I will maintain thee, but now take thyself away out of my

stable,” and with that he chased him into the open country. The horse

was sad, and went to the forest to seek a little protection there from

the weather. Then the fox met him and said, “Why dost thou hang thy

head so, and go about all alone?” “Alas,” replied the horse, “avarice

and fidelity do not dwell together in one house. My master has

forgotten what services I have performed for him for so many years, and

because I can no longer plough well, he will give me no more food, and

has driven me out.” “Without giving thee a chance?” asked the fox. “The

chance was a bad one. He said, if I were still strong enough to bring

him a lion, he would keep me, but he well knows that I cannot do that.”

The fox said, “I will help thee, just lay thyself down, stretch thyself

out, as if thou wert dead, and do not stir.” The horse did as the fox

desired, and the fox went to the lion, who had his den not far off, and

said, “A dead horse is lying outside there, just come with me, thou

canst have a rich meal.” The lion went with him, and when they were

both standing by the horse the fox said, “After all, it is not very

comfortable for thee here I tell thee what I will fasten it to thee by

the tail, and then thou canst drag it into thy cave, and devour it in

peace.”

This advice pleased the lion: he lay down, and in order that the fox

might tie the horse fast to him, he kept quite quiet. But the fox tied

the lion’s legs together with the horse’s tail, and twisted and

fastened all so well and so strongly that no strength could break it.

When he had finished his work, he tapped the horse on the shoulder and

said, “Pull, white horse, pull.” Then up sprang the horse at once, and

drew the lion away with him. The lion began to roar so that all the

birds in the forest flew out in terror, but the horse let him roar, and

drew him and dragged him over the country to his master’s door. When

the master saw the lion, he was of a better mind, and said to the

horse, “Thou shalt stay with me and fare well,” and he gave him plenty

to eat until he died.