<h3><SPAN name="chap72"></SPAN>72 The Wolf and the Man</h3>
<p>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!”</p>
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