A Bear, a Boar, and a Fox once went into partnership to till a field and raise some wheat, that they might earn their bread honestly. Said the Boar, “I will break into a granary and steal the seed, and with my snout I will plough up the field.”
“I will be the sower,” said the Bear; and Reinecke added, “I will spread the earth over the seed with my tail.”
So the field was ploughed and the seed sown. By and by came harvest-time, and the friends took counsel together as to the reaping. Said the Boar, “I will cut the grain.” Said the Bear, “I will bind the sheaves.” And the Fox said, “I will glean the scattered ears.”
The grain was cut and the sheaves set up. The next thing was the threshing. Said the Boar, “I will provide the threshing-floor.” “I will carry the sheaves,” said the Bear, “and will do the threshing into the bargain.” “I’ll shake out the sheaves,” said the Boar, “and break off the ears from the stalks.” “I will clear away the chaff with my tail,” said the Fox.
“I will winnow the grain,” said the Boar, “and separate the straw from the wheat;” and Gossip Petz added, “And I will attend to the dividing.”
And so the grain was threshed.
Next came the Bear to do the dividing, but he was neither fair nor honest, for he gave the Boar all the straw and kept all the grain for himself, not leaving the least thing for the Fox. At this Reinecke flew into a rage and threatened them both with the law, saying he would bring the emperor’s officer to divide it all fairly and squarely.
Away he went for the officer, leaving the Boar and the Bear greatly terrified. Said Master Petz to the Boar, “Just bury yourself in the straw, my child, while I clamber up into yonder pear-tree.” The Boar at once vanished under the straw, while the Bear scrambled up into the pear-tree.
Meanwhile Reinecke set out, and on the way he met a Cat, whom he invited to come and hunt mice with him upon a certain threshing-floor.
The Cat gladly accepted the invitation, for she full well knew that there are plenty of mice in a threshing-floor; but on the way she kept hunting birds in the bushes along the roadside. The Bear, who was watching from the pear-tree, espied her from afar, and called down to the Boar: