“It was a short story,” replied the grandmother, patting the little boy on the shoulder, “and grandmother is a little tired still. She will tell you the story of
“MASTER REINECKE AND GOCKELING, THE COCK”
Once upon a time, Reinecke, the Fox, met Gockeling, the Cock, and said to him, “Come, show me how your hens cackle!”
The Cock, quite willing, stretched out his neck and began to crow, when in a trice Reinecke pounced upon him and seized him by the throat.
“O Reinecke!” cried the Cock, “first give thanks to God, who has sent you so good a meal!”
And Reinecke fell into the Cock’s trap, for he stood upon his hind legs and began to give thanks. Quick as thought the Cock flew up into the nearest tree, and cried to Reinecke:
“Well, cousin, how does my fresh meat taste?”
“That was very clever of the Cock,” said the little boy. “But, grandmother, I don’t think that Fox belonged to our mir, for he was not at all clever. He must have belonged to your mother’s mother’s mir.”