The Bear and the Fox had once bought a firkin of butter together; they were to have it at Yule and hid it till then under a thick spruce bush.
After that they went a little way off and lay down on a sunny bank to sleep. So when they had lain a while the Fox got up, shook himself, and bawled out “yes”.
Then he ran off straight to the firkin and ate a good third part of it. But when he came back, and the Bear asked him where he had been, since he was so fat about the paunch, he said:
“Don’t you believe then that I was bidden to barsel, to a christening feast.”
“So, so”, said the Bear, “and pray what was the bairn’s name.”
“Just-begun”, said the Fox.
So they lay down to sleep again. In a little while up jumped the Fox again, bawled out “yes”, and ran off to the firkin.
This time too he ate a good lump. When he came back, and the Bear asked him again where he had been, he said:
“Oh, wasn’t I bidden to barsel again, don’t you think.”
“And pray what was the bairn’s name this time”, asked the Bear.