"And I'll take the middle road," the second cried.
"And I," the eldest said, "will take the one that's left. So farewell, brothers, and let us meet here in a year's time."
"God bless us all," Janko called out, "and grant that one of us may find our dear father's Magic Grape-Vine."
The two older brothers of course met in a short time when their roads joined and they had a good laugh to think how they had outwitted the Booby.
"Time enough to look for that old Grape-Vine when we've had a little fun!" the eldest said. "Let us sit down here and eat a bite and then push on to the next village. There's an inn there where we can try our luck at cards."
So they sat down by the roadside, opened their wallets, and laid out some bread and cheese. Just then a Little Lame Fox came limping up on three feet, and whimpering and fawning it begged for something to eat.
"Get out!" bawled the older brother and the second, picking up a handful of stones, threw them at the Fox.
The little animal shied and then came timidly back, again begging for something to eat.
"Let's kill it!" cried one of the brothers.
They both jumped up and tried to strike the little creature with their sticks. The Fox limped off and they followed, hitting at it as they ran and always just missing it. It was so weak and lame that they expected every minute to overtake it and so kept on chasing it until it had led them pretty far into the woods. Then suddenly it disappeared and there was nothing left for the brothers to do but make their way back to the roadside grumbling and cursing. In their absence some shepherd dogs had found their open wallets and eaten all their food. So now they really had something to curse about.