“I’m coming,” said the gosling.
She waddled through the hole and, that very instant, felt the fox’s teeth in her throat. She was just able to give a scream and then she was done for. But, the next moment, Trust was there. The fox let go the gosling and struck out with his teeth as best he could. But he was the weaker and the dog gave no quarter. Not until the fox lay dead on the ground did Trust go back through his hole again.
4
Meanwhile, the animals were lying in the meadow and waiting.
“The fox has tricked us,” said the stag.
“Of course, he has been caught and is entering Two-Legs’ service like the rest,” said the nightingale.
But, at daybreak, the sparrow came flying up, breathlessly:
“The fox is dead!” she said. “He is lying on the hill outside Two-Legs’ house. I saw him myself. There’s a dead goose lying beside him.”
Then the lioness rose and all the other animals with her: