The Wolf and the Fox



Fox must get Wolf to eat in order not to be killed. But the wolf wants more and more, until his greed costs him his life.

The wolf had the fox with him, and what the wolf wanted, the fox had to do, because he was the weakest, and the fox would have liked to be rid of the master. It happened that they were both walking through the forest, and the wolf said, "Red Fox, get me something to eat, or I'll eat you myself. The fox replied, "I know a farm where there are a few young lambs, if you feel like it, let's go and get one. The wolf was pleased, they went there, and the fox stole the lamb, brought it to the wolf and went away. The wolf ate it, but was not satisfied with it, but wanted to have the other one, too, and went to get it. But because he did it so clumsily, the lamb's mother noticed it and began to scream and blow terribly, so that the farmers came running. Then they found the wolf and beat him so miserably that he came limping and howling to the fox. 'You have led me nicely,' he said, 'I was going to get the other lamb, but the peasants caught me and beat me softly.' The fox replied 'why are you such a glutton.'
The next day they went back into the field, the greedy wolf said again 'Red Fox, get me something to eat, or I'll eat you myself'. The fox replied, "I know a farmhouse where the woman is baking pancakes tonight, and we'll get some for ourselves. They went there, and the fox crept around the house, looking and sniffing until he found where the bowl was, then pulled down six pancakes and brought them to the wolf. There you have to eat,' he said to him and went his way. The wolf had swallowed the pancakes in a moment and said 'they taste like more,' and went and tore down the whole bowl so that it burst into pieces. There was a tremendous noise, so that the woman came out, and when she saw the wolf, she called the people, who hurried over and beat him so badly that he came out into the forest with two lame legs, howling loudly to the fox. What a nasty way you have led me on!" he cried, "the peasants have caught me and tanned my skin. But the fox answered 'why are you such a glutton'.
On the third day, when they were together outside, and the wolf only limped along with difficulty, he spoke again, "Red Fox, get me something to eat, or I'll eat you myself. The fox answered 'I know a man who has slaughtered, and the salted meat lies in a barrel in the cellar, we want to get it'. Said the wolf 'but I want to go with you right away, so that you can help me if I can't leave.' The fox said, 'For my sake,' and showed him the ways and paths by which they finally reached the cellar. There was now meat in abundance, and the wolf immediately set to work on it, thinking 'there's plenty of time before I stop'. The fox also enjoyed it, looked around everywhere, but often ran to the hole through which they had come and tried to see if his body was still narrow enough to slip through. Said the wolf, 'Dear fox, tell me why you run back and forth like this, and jump out and in?' 'I have to see if no one is coming,' replied the cunning one, 'just don't eat too much.' Then the wolf said, "I will not leave until the barrel is empty. Then the farmer, who had heard the noise of the fox's jumps, came into the cellar. The fox, as he saw him, was out in one leap to the hole: the wolf wanted to follow, but he had gorged himself so thickly that he could no longer get through, but got stuck. Then the farmer came with a club and beat him to death. The fox, however, jumped into the forest and was glad that he was rid of the old glutton.