The next day, as soon as the sun rose, the old woman again drove the ox to pasture, and she herself sat down under a tree, and began spinning flax and saying to herself: “Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass of the field! Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass of the field!” And she went on spinning and spinning, and fell asleep. Suddenly from out of the thick wood, from out of the dark forest, a wolf came running, and ran right up against the ox. “Who in the world are you?” he asked. And the ox answered: “I'm the three-year-old ox, all made of straw and smeared over with pitch.”
Then the wolf said: “Well, if that's so, give me some pitch to put on my poor torn side.” And the ox answered: “By all means!” So the wolf tried to take some pitch, when lo and behold! his paw stuck in it. And when he tried to free it, it stuck all the faster. And the old woman woke up and saw the wolf sticking to the ox. So she ran to fetch her husband and said: “Come as quick as you can, there's a wolf stuck to the ox!” And he came and caught the wolf and put him in the cellar.
The next day, before even the sun had risen, the old woman again drove the ox to pasture, and she herself sat down under a tree, and began spinning flax and saying to herself: “Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass! Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass!” And she went on spinning and spinning, and fell asleep.
Suddenly from out of the thick wood, from out of the dark forest, a fox came running, and ran right up against the ox. “What sort of a beast are you?” he asked. And the ox answered: “I'm the three-year-old ox, all made of straw and smeared over with pitch.” Then the fox said: “Well then, give me some pitch to rub on my side.” And the fox was just going to take some pitch, when he stuck fast and couldn't free himself. And the old woman woke up and saw the fox sticking to the ox. So she ran to fetch her husband, and he came and took the fox and put him in the cellar as well.
The next day the old woman again sat down under the tree to spin her flax while the ox fed, and she began spinning and saying to herself: “Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass! Feed, feed, ox, on the fresh green grass!” And she went on spinning and spinning and fell asleep. Suddenly from out of the thick wood, from out of the dark forest, a grey hare came running and ran right up against the ox. “What sort of beast are you?” he asked. “I'm the three-year-old ox, all made of straw and smeared over with pitch.” Then the hare said: “Well then, give me some pitch to rub on my side.” “Take some!” answered the ox. And the hare caught hold of him with his teeth, when lo and behold! his teeth stuck fast. He tore and tore, but couldn't tear them free. And the old woman woke up, and ran to fetch her husband, and said: “Come as quick as you can, there's a hare stuck to the ox!” And the old man came, took the hare and flung him into the cellar. Then the old man began to grind his knife, and the bear heard him and asked: “What are you grinding your knife for?” And he answered: “I'm grinding my knife to take the skin off your back and make myself a fur coat out of it.” But the bear said: “Oh! don't take the skin off my back! Better let me go free, and I'll repay you handsomely.” “Well, mind you do!” answered the old man, and so he let the bear go free, and he ran off into the forest.