“Let us hope then that our appetites will be light,” said the fox.
A little later the fox began to act horribly, jumping about the room and whining, and calling the people lazy and inhospitable.
“Think you,” he said, “that this is the way to treat a visitor? A pretty thing indeed to serve one and let the other go hungry. Do I get nothing at all to eat? Quick. Bring me potatoes and roast them, or it will be bad for all of you. The mischief I do shall be ten times worse than any done already.”
Knowing that some plan was afoot the people ran out of the house and soon came back with potatoes, and the fox showed them how he wanted them roasted on the hearth. So they were placed in the ashes and covered with hot coals and when they were well done the fox told everyone to take a potato, saying that El Enano, who was crunching the bones of the animals he had eaten, would not like them. But all the while the men were eating, the fox ran from one to another whispering things, but quite loud enough for Enano to hear. “Hush!” said he. “Say nothing. El Enano must not know how good they are and when he asks for some, tell him that they are all gone.”
“Yes. Yes,” said the people, keeping in with the plan. “Do not let Enano know.”
By this time El Enano was suspicious and looked from one man to another. “Give me all the potatoes,” he said.
“They are all eaten except mine,” said the fox, “but you may taste that.” So saying he thrust the roasted potato into the hands of Enano and the creature crammed it down its throat at once.
“Ha! It is good,” he roared. “Give me more. More. MORE.”
“We have no more,” said the fox very loud, then, quite softly to those who stood near him, he added, “Say nothing about the potatoes on the hearth,” but loudly enough for El Enano to hear, though quite well he knew that there were none.
“Ah! I heard you,” roared El Enano. “There are potatoes on the hearth. Give them to me.”