The Wolf stared at Jack
Shortly afterwards Jack went to gather acorns for their little pig. He was deep in the forest, when suddenly he saw a wolf a few yards in front of him, watching him from among the bushes.
Jack was very much frightened, especially as he saw scars on the wolf’s back, and thus immediately recognized him as the one they had so shamefully handled. The wolf stared at Jack, and on recognizing him sprang at him, crying:
“Oh, ruffian, good-for-nothing! You are one of the scoundrels who treated me so badly that I dare not show my face anywhere. Wait! I shall at once make mincemeat of you.”
The wolf was about to spring at Jack, but the latter, seeing that to fight would be useless, climbed like a cat up the nearest tree. There he was high and dry and out of his enemy’s reach, as he fondly imagined. But the wolf was not to be thwarted; smothering his rage he disappeared behind the bushes.
“I will stay quietly here,” thought Jack. “I must be on my guard against this wretch. I lose nothing by waiting.”
He was right, for in five minutes the wolf returned accompanied by a dozen wolves as bad as himself.
“Ha ha, scoundrel,” he cried, “you will not escape me this time! If you think you are safe you are greatly mistaken, you know. We shall have you down in no time.”