"As soon as the horse got wind of Bruin, he was afraid, and ran off as though he had stolen both bear and sledge, and he went back faster by many times than he had come up.
"Bruin, they say, is a brave fellow, but even he was not quite pleased with his drive this time. So there he sat, holding fast, as well as he could, and he glared and grinned on all sides, and he thought of throwing himself off, but he was not used to sledge travelling, and so he made up his mind to sit still where he was.
"So when he had driven a good bit, he met a pedlar.
"'Whither in heaven's name is the sheriff bound to-day? He has surely little time, and a long way; he drives so fast.'
"But Bruin said never a word, for all he could do was to stick fast.
"A little further on a beggar-woman met him. She nodded to him and greeted him, and begged for a penny, in God's name. But Bruin said never a word, but stuck fast and drove on faster than ever.
"So when he had gone a bit further, Reynard the fox met him.
"'Ho! ho!' said Reynard, 'are you out taking a drive. Stop a bit, and let me get up behind and be your post-boy.'
"But still Bruin said never a word, but held on like grim death, and drove on as fast as the horse could lay legs to the ground.
"'Well, well,' screamed Reynard, after him, 'if you won't take me with you I'll spae your fortune; and that is, though you drive like a dare-devil to-day, you'll be hanging up to-morrow with the hide off your back.'