“Good day to you, my friend,” began the wolf. “May I ask where you are going with such a burden?”
“I am going to see the husband of Madam Fox, to whom I shall give this ox. Will you tell me where you are going?” said the bear.
“Why, I am bound for the same place, my friend. Madam Fox told me her husband is terrible. He devours anyone who displeases him, so I am taking a lamb for a present.” The wolf’s voice trembled a little as he continued, “I do hope he will take kindly to me.”
The friends went on their way, and in a short time they came to the house of the cat. The wolf pushed the bear a little ahead and whispered, “Go, my good comrade, knock on the door and say to the husband of Madam Fox that we have brought an ox and a lamb as gifts.”
“Oh,” shivered the bear, “I dare not! I am so filled with fear. Indeed, indeed, I cannot. You go, good wolf! Do.”
“Impossible,” returned the wolf, in a quaking voice. “I am trembling all over. I haven’t strength enough to walk there much less to rap on the door. Come, let us hide ourselves and bide our time.”
So the wolf hid himself under some dry leaves, and the bear jumped into a tree and carefully hid himself among the branches. In a few moments Madam Fox and her husband, who had been walking in the forest, came home.
“How very small the bailiff is,” whispered the wolf.
“He is, indeed,” gasped the bear, a little scornfully.
The cat now saw the ox and leaped to the step saying, “Oh, a small meal for me.”