There was little comfort for the knight in this, nevertheless he did not give up hope, but accosted the next creature they met, which happened to be a horse.
“What is The Reward of the World?” the knight asked him.
“Listen,” said the horse bitterly, “and I will tell you. All my life I have laboured diligently for one master. Day in and day out I dragged his cart to market, working myself to skin and bone in his service. Now I am grown old and my strength begins to fail, so that I can no longer earn my keep. To-day I heard him say that he was going to send me to the knackers’ yard and sell my poor old carcass for a couple of crowns. That is The Reward of the World, young master, and may heaven preserve you from it!”
“You see!” said the dragon, as the two went on, “my words are already justified. Come, be sensible and let me eat you without further ado!”
“No,” said the knight, “we have still one person to ask. Here comes a fox. Let us see what he has to say about the matter. Reynard, what do you understand by The Reward of the World?”
“How do you mean?” asked the fox. “What is the case in point?”
“Well, you see,” explained the knight, “I found this dragon in a position of uncommon peril, and he promised, if I would rescue him, to give me The Reward of the World. The question now arises as to what The Reward of the World is.”
“I see,” said Reynard thoughtfully. “His life was in danger, you say? How was that?”
“A huge stone had fallen on to his back, pinning him down so that he could not move. I rolled the stone away, and set him free.”
The fox scratched his head and pondered. “If you don’t mind,” said he, “I’d rather like to have this matter made a little clearer. Where did all this happen?”