The Wolf and the Man

Once the fox told the wolf about the strength of the man, no animal could resist him, and they must use cunning to preserve themselves before him. The wolf replied, 'If only I could see a man, I would go for him.' I can help you," said the fox, "just come to me tomorrow morning, and I will show you one. The wolf turned up early, and the fox took him out on the path that the hunter took every day. First came an old resigned soldier. 'Is that a man?' asked the wolf. No,' answered the fox, 'that was one.' Next came a little boy who was going to school. 'Is that a man?' 'No, that wants to become one first.' At last the hunter came, the double-barreled shotgun on his back, and the deerstalker at his side. The fox said to the wolf, 'See, there comes a man, you must go for him, but I want to go away to my cave'. The wolf now went at the man, the hunter, when he saw him, said 'it is a pity that I have not loaded a bullet,' and shot the buckshot into the wolf's face. The wolf's face contorted violently, but he did not let himself be frightened and went forward: then the hunter gave him the second load. The wolf forgot the pain and came to the hunter's aid: then the latter drew his bare deerstalker and gave him a few blows left and right, so that he, bleeding all over, ran back to the fox with a howl.

Well, brother wolf,' said the fox, 'how did you cope with the man?First he took a stick from his shoulder and blew into it, and something flew into my face that tickled me terribly. Then he blew into the stick again, and it flew around my nose like lightning and hailstones. You see,' said the fox, 'what a braggart you are: you throw the axe so far that you can't get it back again.