Now the fox heard the dog talking thus to himself, for the fox was always peeping about, in holes and corners, and he burst out a laughing when the dog was out of sight.
“Ho, ho, my fine fellow!” said he; “not so fast, if you please: you’ve got the fox for a rival, let me tell you.”
The fox, as you very well know, is a beast that can never do anything without a manoeuvre; and as, from his cunning, he was generally very lucky in anything he undertook, he did not doubt for a moment that he should put the dog’s nose out of joint. Reynard was aware that in love one should always, if possible, be the first in the field; and he therefore resolved to get the start of the dog and arrive before him at the cat’s residence. But this was no easy matter; for though Reynard could run faster than the dog for a little way, he was no match for him in a journey of some distance. “However,” said Reynard, “those good-natured creatures are never very wise; and I think I know already what will make him bait on his way.”
With that, the fox trotted pretty fast by a short cut in the woods, and getting before the dog, laid himself down by a hole in the earth, and began to howl most piteously.
The dog, hearing the noise, was very much alarmed. “See now,” said he, “if the poor fox has not got himself into some scrape! Those cunning creatures are always in mischief; thank Heaven, it never comes into my head to be cunning!” And the good-natured animal ran off as hard as he could to see what was the matter with the fox.
“Oh, dear!” cried Reynard; “what shall I do? What shall I do? My poor little sister has fallen into this hole, and I can’t get her out; she’ll certainly be smothered.” And the fox burst out a howling more piteously than before.
“But, my dear Reynard,” quoth the dog, very simply, “why don’t you go in after your sister?”
“Ah, you may well ask that,” said the fox; “but, in trying to get in, don’t you perceive that I have sprained my back and can’t stir? Oh, dear! what shall I do if my poor little sister is smothered!”
“Pray don’t vex yourself,” said the dog; “I’ll get her out in an instant.” And with that he forced himself with great difficulty into the hole.
Now, no sooner did the fox see that the dog was fairly in, than he rolled a great stone to the mouth of the hole and fitted it so tight, that the dog, not being able to turn round and scratch against it with his forepaws, was made a close prisoner.