CHAPTER XII. THE WOOING OF MASTER FOX.*
* In the excursions of the fairies, it is the object of the author to bring before the reader a rapid phantasmagoria of the various beings that belong to the German superstitions, so that the work may thus describe the outer and the inner world of the land of the Rhine. The tale of the Fox's Wooing has been composed to give the English reader an idea of a species of novel not naturalized amongst us, though frequent among the legends of our Irish neighbours; in which the brutes are the only characters drawn,--drawn too with shades of distinction as nice and subtle as if they were the creatures of the civilized world.
You are aware, my dear Nymphalin, that in the time of which I am aboutto speak there was no particular enmity between the various species ofbrutes; the dog and the hare chatted very agreeably together, andall the world knows that the wolf, unacquainted with mutton, hada particular affection for the lamb. In these happy days, two mostrespectable cats, of very old family, had an only daughter. Never waskitten more amiable or more seducing; as she grew up she manifested somany charms, that in a little while she became noted as the greatestbeauty in the neighbourhood. Need I to you, dearest Nymphalin, describeher perfection? Suffice it to say that her skin was of the most delicatetortoiseshell, that her paws were smoother than velvet, that herwhiskers were twelve inches long at the least, and that her eyes had agentleness altogether astonishing in a cat. But if the young beautyhad suitors in plenty during the lives of monsieur and madame, you maysuppose the number was not diminished when, at the age of two years anda half, she was left an orphan, and sole heiress to all the hereditaryproperty. In fine, she was the richest marriage in the whole country.Without troubling you, dearest queen, with the adventures of the rest ofher lovers, with their suit and their rejection, I come at once to thetwo rivals most sanguine of success,--the dog and the fox.
Now the dog was a handsome, honest, straightforward, affectionatefellow. "For my part," said he, "I don't wonder at my cousin's refusingBruin the bear, and Gauntgrim the wolf: to be sure they give themselvesgreat airs, and call themselves '_noble_,' but what then? Bruin isalways in the sulks, and Gauntgrim always in a passion; a cat of anysensibility would lead a miserable life with them. As for me, I am verygood-tempered when I'm not put out, and I have no fault except that ofbeing angry if disturbed at my meals. I am young and good-looking, fondof play and amusement, and altogether as agreeable a husband as a catcould find in a summer's day. If she marries me, well and good; shemay have her property settled on herself: if not, I shall bear her nomalice; and I hope I sha'n't be too much in love to forget that thereare other cats in the world."
With that the dog threw his tail over his back, and set off to hismistress with a gay face on the matter.
Now the fox heard the dog talking thus to himself, for the fox wasalways peeping about, in holes and corners, and he burst out a laughingwhen the dog was out of sight.
"Ho, ho, my fine fellow!" said he; "not so fast, if you please: you'vegot the fox for a rival, let me tell you."
The fox, as you very well know, is a beast that can never do anythingwithout a manoeuvre; and as, from his cunning, he was generally verylucky in anything he undertook, he did not doubt for a moment that heshould put the dog's nose out of joint. Reynard was aware that inlove one should always, if possible, be the first in the field; and hetherefore resolved to get the start of the dog and arrive before himat the cat's residence. But this was no easy matter; for though Reynardcould run faster than the dog for a little way, he was no match forhim in a journey of some distance. "However," said Reynard, "thosegood-natured creatures are never very wise; and I think I know alreadywhat will make him bait on his way."
With that, the fox trotted pretty fast by a short cut in the woods, andgetting before the dog, laid himself down by a hole in the earth, andbegan to howl most piteously.
The dog, hearing the noise, was very much alarmed. "See now," said he,"if the poor fox has not got himself into some scrape! Those cunningcreatures are always in mischief; thank Heaven, it never comes into myhead to be cunning!" And the good-natured animal ran off as hard as hecould to see what was the matter with the fox.
"Oh, dear!" cried Reynard; "what shall I do? What shall I do? My poorlittle sister has fallen into this hole, and I can't get her out; she'llcertainly be smothered." And the fox burst out a howling more piteouslythan before.
"But, my dear Reynard," quoth the dog, very simply, "why don't you go inafter your sister?"
"Ah, you may well ask that," said the fox; "but, in trying to get in,don't you perceive that I have sprained my back and can't stir? Oh,dear! what shall I do if my poor little sister is smothered!"
"Pray don't vex yourself," said the dog; "I'll get her out in aninstant." And with that he forced himself with great difficulty into thehole.
Now, no sooner did the fox see that the dog was fairly in, than herolled a great stone to the mouth of the hole and fitted it so tight,that the dog, not being able to turn round and scratch against it withhis forepaws, was made a close prisoner.
"Ha, ha!" cried Reynard, laughing outside; "amuse yourself with my poorlittle sister, while I go and make your compliments to Mademoiselle theCat."
With that Reynard set off at an easy pace, never troubling his headwhat became of the poor dog. When he arrived in the neighbourhood of thebeautiful cat's mansion, he resolved to pay a visit to a friend of his,an old magpie that lived in a tree and was well acquainted with all thenews of the place. "For," thought Reynard, "I may as well know the blindside of my mistress that is to be, and get round it at once."
The magpie received the fox with great cordiality, and inquired whatbrought him so great a distance from home.
"Upon my word," said the fox, "nothing so much as the pleasure of seeingyour ladyship and hearing those agreeable anecdotes you tell with socharming a grace; but to let you into a secret--be sure it don't gofurther--"
"On the word of a magpie," interrupted the bird.
"Pardon me for doubting you," continued the fox; "I should haverecollected that a pie was a proverb for discretion. But, as I wassaying, you know her Majesty the lioness?"
"Surely," said the magpie, bridling.
"Well; she was pleased to fall in--that is to say--to--to--take acaprice to your humble servant, and the lion grew so jealous that Ithought it prudent to decamp. A jealous lion is no joke, let me assureyour ladyship. But mum's the word."
So great a piece of news delighted the magpie. She could not but repayit in kind, by all the news in her budget. She told the fox all thescandal about Bruin and Gauntgrim, and she then fell to work on the pooryoung cat. She did not spare her foibles, you may be quite sure. Thefox listened with great attention, and he learned enough to convincehim that however much the magpie might exaggerate, the cat was verysusceptible to flattery, and had a great deal of imagination.
When the magpie had finished she said, "But it must be very unfortunatefor you to be banished from so magnificent a court as that of the lion?"
"As to that," answered the fox, "I console myself for my exile with apresent his Majesty made me on parting, as a reward for my anxiety forhis honour and domestic tranquillity; namely, three hairs from the fifthleg of the amoronthologosphorus. Only think of that, ma'am!"
"The what?" cried the pie, cocking down her left ear.
"The amoronthologosphorus."
"La!" said the magpie; "and what is that very long word, my dearReynard?"
"The amoronthologosphorus is a beast that lives on the other side ofthe river Cylinx; it has five legs, and on the fifth leg there are threehairs, and whoever has those three hairs can be young and beautifulforever."
"Bless me! I wish you would let me see them," said the pie, holding outher claw.
"Would that I could oblige you, ma'am; but it's as much as my life'sworth to show them to any but the lady I marry. In fact, they only havean effect on the fair sex, as you may see by myself, whose poor personthey utterly fail to improv
e: they are, therefore, intended for amarriage present, and his Majesty the lion thus generously atoned tome for relinquishing the tenderness of his queen. One must confess thatthere was a great deal of delicacy in the gift. But you'll be sure notto mention it."
"A magpie gossip indeed!" quoth the old blab.
The fox then wished the magpie good night, and retired to a hole tosleep off the fatigues of the day, before he presented himself to thebeautiful young cat.
The next morning, Heaven knows how! it was all over the place thatReynard the fox had been banished from court for the favour shown him byher Majesty, and that the lion had bribed his departure with threehairs that would make any lady whom the fox married young and beautifulforever.
The cat was the first to learn the news, and she became all curiosity tosee so interesting a stranger, possessed of "qualifications" which, inthe language of the day, "would render any animal happy!" She was notlong without obtaining her wish. As she was taking a walk in the woodthe fox contrived to encounter her. You may be sure that he made her hisbest bow; and he flattered the poor cat with so courtly an air that shesaw nothing surprising in the love of the lioness.
Meanwhile let us see what became of his rival, the dog.
"Ah, the poor creature!" said Nymphalin; "it is easy to guess that heneed not be buried alive to lose all chance of marrying the heiress."
"Wait till the end," answered Fayzenheim.
When the dog found that he was thus entrapped, he gave himself up forlost. In vain he kicked with his hind-legs against the stone,--he onlysucceeded in bruising his paws; and at length he was forced to lie down,with his tongue out of his mouth, and quite exhausted. "However," saidhe, after he had taken breath, "it won't do to be starved here, withoutdoing my best to escape; and if I can't get out one way, let me see ifthere is not a hole at the other end." Thus saying, his courage, whichstood him in lieu of cunning, returned, and he proceeded on in the samestraightforward way in which he always conducted himself. At first thepath was exceedingly narrow, and he hurt his sides very much againstthe rough stones that projected from the earth; but by degrees the waybecame broader, and he now went on with considerable ease to himself,till he arrived in a large cavern, where he saw an immense griffinsitting on his tail, and smoking a huge pipe.
The dog was by no means pleased at meeting so suddenly a creature thathad only to open his mouth to swallow him up at a morsel; however,he put a bold face on the danger, and walking respectfully up to thegriffin, said, "Sir, I should be very much obliged to you if you wouldinform me the way out of these holes into the upper world."
The griffin took the pipe out of his mouth, and looked at the dog verysternly.
"Ho, wretch!" said he, "how comest thou hither? I suppose thou wantestto steal my treasure; but I know how to treat such vagabonds as you, andI shall certainly eat you up.
"You can do that if you choose," said the dog; "but it would be veryunhandsome conduct in an animal so much bigger than myself. For my ownpart, I never attack any dog that is not of equal size,--I should beashamed of myself if I did. And as to your treasure, the character Ibear for honesty is too well known to merit such a suspicion."
"Upon my word," said the griffin, who could not help smiling for thelife of him, "you have a singularly free mode of expressing yourself.And how, I say, came you hither?"
Then the dog, who did not know what a lie was, told the griffin hiswhole history,--how he had set off to pay his court to the cat, and howReynard the fox had entrapped him into the hole.
When he had finished, the griffin said to him, "I see, my friend, thatyou know how to speak the truth; I am in want of just such a servant asyou will make me, therefore stay with me and keep watch over my treasurewhen I sleep."
"Two words to that," said the dog. "You have hurt my feelings very muchby suspecting my honesty, and I would much sooner go back into the woodand be avenged on that scoundrel the fox, than serve a master who has soill an opinion of me. I pray you, therefore, to dismiss me, and to putme in the right way to my cousin the cat."
"I am not a griffin of many words," answered the master of the cavern,"and I give you your choice,--be my servant or be my breakfast; it isjust the same to me. I give you time to decide till I have smoked out mypipe."
The poor dog did not take so long to consider. "It is true," thought he,"that it is a great misfortune to live in a cave with a griffin ofso unpleasant a countenance; but, probably, if I serve him well andfaithfully, he'll take pity on me some day, and let me go back to earth,and prove to my cousin what a rogue the fox is; and as to the rest,though I would sell my life as dear as I could, it is impossible tofight a griffin with a mouth of so monstrous a size." In short, hedecided to stay with the griffin.
"Shake a paw on it," quoth the grim smoker; and the dog shook paws.
"And now," said the griffin, "I will tell you what you are to do. Lookhere," and moving his tail, he showed the dog a great heap of gold andsilver, in a hole in the ground, that he had covered with the folds ofhis tail; and also, what the dog thought more valuable, a great heap ofbones of very tempting appearance. "Now," said the griffin, "during theday I can take very good care of these myself; but at night it is verynecessary that I should go to sleep, so when I sleep you must watch overthem instead of me."
"Very well," said the dog. "As to the gold and silver, I have noobjection; but I would much rather that you would lock up the bones, forI'm often hungry of a night, and--"
"Hold your tongue," said the griffin.
"But, sir," said the dog, after a short silence, "surely nobody evercomes into so retired a situation! Who are the thieves, if I may makebold to ask?"
"Know," answered the griffin, "that there are a great many serpents inthis neighbourhood. They are always trying to steal my treasure; and ifthey catch me napping, they, not contented with theft, would do theirbest to sting me to death. So that I am almost worn out for want ofsleep."
"Ah," quoth the dog, who was fond of a good night's rest, "I don't envyyou your treasure, sir."
At night, the griffin, who had a great deal of penetration, and saw thathe might depend on the dog, lay down to sleep in another corner of thecave; and the dog, shaking himself well, so as to be quite awake, tookwatch over the treasure. His mouth watered exceedingly at the bones, andhe could not help smelling them now and then; but he said to himself, "Abargain's a bargain, and since I have promised to serve the griffin, Imust serve him as an honest dog ought to serve."
In the middle of the night he saw a great snake creeping in by the sideof the cave; but the dog set up so loud a bark that the griffin awoke,and the snake crept away as fast as he could. Then the griffin was verymuch pleased, and he gave the dog one of the bones to amuse himselfwith; and every night the dog watched the treasure, and acquittedhimself so well that not a snake, at last, dared to make itsappearance,--so the griffin enjoyed an excellent night's rest.
The dog now found himself much more comfortable than he expected. Thegriffin regularly gave him one of the bones for supper; and, pleasedwith his fidelity, made himself as agreeable a master as a griffincould be. Still, however, the dog was secretly very anxious to returnto earth; for having nothing to do during the day but to doze on theground, he dreamed perpetually of his cousin the cat's charms, and, infancy, he gave the rascal Reynard as hearty a worry as a fox may wellhave the honour of receiving from a dog's paws. He awoke panting; alas!he could not realize his dreams.
One night, as he was watching as usual over the treasure, he was greatlysurprised to see a beautiful little black and white dog enter thecave; and it came fawning to our honest friend, wagging its tail withpleasure.
"Ah, little one," said our dog, whom, to distinguish, I will call thewatch-dog, "you had better make the best of your way back again. See,there is a great griffin asleep in the other corner of the cave, and ifhe wakes, he will either eat you up or make you his servant, as he hasmade me."
"I know what you would tell me," says the little dog; "and I have comedown here
to deliver you. The stone is now gone from the mouth of thecave, and you have nothing to do but to go back with me. Come, brother,come."
The dog was very much excited by this address. "Don't ask me, my dearlittle friend," said he; "you must be aware that I should be too happyto escape out of this cold cave, and roll on the soft turf once more:but if I leave my master, the griffin, those cursed serpents, who arealways on the watch, will come in and steal his treasure,--nay, perhaps,sting him to death." Then the little dog came up to the watch-dog, andremonstrated with him greatly, and licked him caressingly on both sidesof his face; and, taking him by the ear, endeavoured to draw him fromthe treasure: but the dog would not stir a step, though his heart sorelypressed him. At length the little dog, finding it all in vain, said,"Well, then, if I must leave, good-by; but I have become so hungry incoming down all this way after you, that I wish you would give me oneof those bones; they smell very pleasantly, and one out of so many couldnever be missed."
"Alas!" said the watchdog, with tears in his eyes, "how unlucky I am tohave eaten up the bone my master gave me, otherwise you should have hadit and welcome. But I can't give you one of these, because my master hasmade me promise to watch over them all, and I have given him my pawon it. I am sure a dog of your respectable appearance will say nothingfurther on the subject."
Then the little dog answered pettishly, "Pooh, what nonsense youtalk! surely a great griffin can't miss a little bone fit for me?" andnestling his nose under the watch-dog, he tried forthwith to bring upone of the bones.
On this the watch-dog grew angry, and, though with much reluctance, heseized the little dog by the nape of the neck and threw him off, butwithout hurting him. Suddenly the little dog changed into a monstrousserpent, bigger even than the griffin himself, and the watch-dog barkedwith all his might. The griffin rose in a great hurry, and the serpentsprang upon him ere he was well awake. I wish, dearest Nymphalin, youcould have seen the battle between the griffin and the serpent,--howthey coiled and twisted, and bit and darted their fiery tongues at eachother. At length the serpent got uppermost, and was about to plunge histongue into that part of the griffin which is unprotected by his scales,when the dog, seizing him by the tail, bit him so sharply that he couldnot help turning round to kill his new assailant, and the griffin,taking advantage of the opportunity, caught the serpent by the throatwith both claws, and fairly strangled him. As soon as the griffin hadrecovered from the nervousness of the conflict, he heaped all mannerof caresses on the dog for saving his life. The dog told him the wholestory, and the griffin then explained that the dead snake was the kingof the serpents, who had the power to change himself into any shape hepleased. "If he had tempted you," said he, "to leave the treasure butfor one moment, or to have given him any part of it, ay, but a singlebone, he would have crushed you in an instant, and stung me to deathere I could have waked; but none, no, not the most venomous thing increation, has power to hurt the honest!"
"That has always been my belief," answered the dog; "and now, sir, youhad better go to sleep again and leave the rest to me."
"Nay," answered the griffin, "I have no longer need of a servant; fornow that the king of the serpents is dead, the rest will never molestme. It was only to satisfy his avarice that his subjects dared to bravethe den of the griffin."
Upon hearing this the dog was exceedingly delighted; and raising himselfon his hind paws, he begged the griffin most movingly to let him returnto earth, to visit his mistress the cat, and worry his rival the fox.
"You do not serve an ungrateful master," answered the griffin. "Youshall return, and I will teach you all the craft of our race, which ismuch craftier than the race of that pettifogger the fox, so that you maybe able to cope with your rival."
"Ah, excuse me," said the dog, hastily, "I am equally obliged to you;but I fancy honesty is a match for cunning any day, and I think myself agreat deal safer in being a dog of honour than if I knew all the tricksin the world."
"Well," said the griffin, a little piqued at the dog's bluntness, "do asyou please; I wish you all possible success."
Then the griffin opened a secret door in the side of the cabin, andthe dog saw a broad path that led at once into the wood. He thankedthe griffin with all his heart, and ran wagging his tail into the openmoonlight. "Ah, ah, master fox," said he, "there's no trap for an honestdog that has not two doors to it, cunning as you think yourself."
With that he curled his tail gallantly over his left leg, and set offon a long trot to the cat's house. When he was within sight of it, hestopped to refresh himself by a pool of water, and who should be therebut our friend the magpie.
"And what do _you_ want, friend?" said she, rather disdainfully, for thedog looked somewhat out of case after his journey.
"I am going to see my cousin the cat," answered he.
"_Your cousin_! marry come up," said the magpie; "don't you know she isgoing to be married to Reynard the fox? This is not a time for her toreceive the visits of a brute like you."
These words put the dog in such a passion that he very nearly bit themagpie for her uncivil mode of communicating such bad news. However, hecurbed his temper, and, without answering her, went at once to the cat'sresidence.
The cat was sitting at the window, and no sooner did the dog see herthan he fairly lost his heart; never had he seen so charming a catbefore. He advanced, wagging his tail, and with his most insinuatingair, when the cat, getting up, clapped the window in his face, and lo!Reynard the fox appeared in her stead.
"Come out, thou rascal!" said the dog, showing his teeth; "come out,I challenge thee to single combat; I have not forgiven thy malice, andthou seest that I am no longer shut up in the cave, and unable to punishthee for thy wickedness."
"Go home, silly one!" answered the fox, sneering; "thou hast no businesshere, and as for fighting thee--bah!" Then the fox left the window anddisappeared. But the dog, thoroughly enraged, scratched lustily at thedoor, and made such a noise, that presently the cat herself came to thewindow.
"How now!" said she, angrily; "what means all this rudeness? Who areyou, and what do you want at my house?"
"Oh, my dear cousin," said the dog, "do not speak so severely. Know thatI have come here on purpose to pay you a visit; and, whatever you do,let me beseech you not to listen to that villain Reynard,--you have noconception what a rogue he is!"
"What!" said the cat, blushing; "do you dare to abuse your betters inthis fashion? I see you have a design on me. Go, this instant, or--"
"Enough, madam," said the dog, proudly; "you need not speak twice tome,--farewell."
And he turned away very slowly, and went under a tree, where he took uphis lodgings for the night. But the next morning there was an amazingcommotion in the neighbourhood; a stranger, of a very different style oftravelling from that of the dog, had arrived at the dead of the night,and fixed his abode in a large cavern hollowed out of a steep rock. Thenoise he had made in flying through the air was so great that it hadawakened every bird and beast in the parish; and Reynard, whose badconscience never suffered him to sleep very soundly, putting his headout of the window, perceived, to his great alarm, that the stranger wasnothing less than a monstrous griffin.
Now the griffins are the richest beasts in the world; and that's thereason they keep so close under ground. Whenever it does happen thatthey pay a visit above, it is not a thing to be easily forgotten.
The magpie was all agitation. What could the griffin possibly wantthere? She resolved to take a peep at the cavern, and accordingly shehopped timorously up the rock, and pretended to be picking up sticks forher nest.
"Holla, ma'am!" cried a very rough voice, and she saw the griffinputting his head out of the cavern. "Holla! you are the very lady I wantto see; you know all the people about here, eh?"
"All the best company, your lordship, I certainly do," answered themagpie, dropping a courtesy.
Upon this the griffin walked out; and smoking his pipe leisurely in theopen air, in order to set the pie at her ease, contin
ued,--
"Are there any respectable beasts of good families settled in thisneighbourhood?"
"Oh, most elegant society, I assure your lordship," cried the pie. "Ihave lived here myself these ten years, and the great heiress, the catyonder, attracts a vast number of strangers."
"Humph! heiress, indeed! much you know about heiresses!" said thegriffin. "There is only one heiress in the world, and that's mydaughter."
"Bless me! has your lordship a family? I beg you a thousand pardons; butI only saw your lordship's own equipage last night, and did not know youbrought any one with you."
"My daughter went first, and was safely lodged before I arrived. She didnot disturb you, I dare say, as I did; for she sails along like a swan:but I have got the gout in my left claw, and that's the reason I puffand groan so in taking a journey."
"Shall I drop in upon Miss Griffin, and see how she is after herjourney?" said the pie, advancing.
"I thank you, no. I don't intend her to be seen while I stay here,--itunsettles her; and I'm afraid of the young beasts running away with herif they once heard how handsome she was: she's the living picture of me,but she's monstrous giddy! Not that I should care much if she did go offwith a beast of degree, were I not obliged to pay her portion, which isprodigious; and I don't like parting with money, ma'am, when I've oncegot it. Ho, ho, ho!"
"You are too witty, my lord. But if you refused your consent?" said thepie, anxious to know the whole family history of so grand a seigneur.
"I should have to pay the dowry all the same. It was left her by heruncle the dragon. But don't let this go any further."
"Your lordship may depend on my secrecy. I wish your lordship a verygood morning."
Away flew the pie, and she did not stop till she got to the cat's house.The cat and the fox were at breakfast, and the fox had his paw on hisheart. "Beautiful scene!" cried the pie; the cat coloured, and bade thepie take a seat.
Then off went the pie's tongue, glib, glib, glib, chatter, chatter,chatter. She related to them the whole story of the griffin and hisdaughter, and a great deal more besides, that the griffin had never toldher.
The cat listened attentively. Another young heiress in the neighbourhoodmight be a formidable rival. "But is this griffiness handsome?" saidshe.
"Handsome!" cried the pie; "oh, if you could have seen the father!--sucha mouth, such eyes, such a complexion; and he declares she's the livingpicture of himself! But what do you say, Mr. Reynard,--you, who havebeen so much in the world, have, perhaps, seen the young lady?"
"Why, I can't say I have," answered the fox, waking from a revery;"but she must be wonderfully rich. I dare say that fool the dog will bemaking up to her."
"Ah, by the way," said the pie, "what a fuss he made at your dooryesterday; why would you not admit him, my dear?"
"Oh," said the cat, demurely, "Mr. Reynard says that he is a dog of verybad character, quite a fortune-hunter; and hiding the most dangerousdisposition to bite under an appearance of good nature. I hope he won'tbe quarrelsome with you, dear Reynard!"
"With me? Oh, the poor wretch, no!--he might bluster a little; but heknows that if I'm once angry I'm a devil at biting;--one should notboast of oneself."
In the evening Reynard felt a strange desire to go and see the griffinsmoking his pipe; but what could he do? There was the dog under theopposite tree evidently watching for him, and Reynard had no wish toprove himself that devil at biting which he declared he was. At last heresolved to have recourse to stratagem to get rid of the dog.
A young buck of a rabbit, a sort of provincial fop, had looked in uponhis cousin the cat, to pay her his respects, and Reynard, taking himaside, said, "You see that shabby-looking dog under the tree? He hasbehaved very ill to your cousin the cat, and you certainly oughtto challenge him. Forgive my boldness, nothing but respect for yourcharacter induces me to take so great a liberty; you know I wouldchastise the rascal myself, but what a scandal it would make! If I werealready married to your cousin, it would be a different thing. But youknow what a story that cursed magpie would hatch out of it!"
The rabbit looked very foolish; he assured the fox he was no match forthe dog; that he was very fond of his cousin, to be sure! but he sawno necessity to interfere with her domestic affairs; and, in short, hetried all he possibly could to get out of the scrape; but the fox soartfully played on his vanity, so earnestly assured him that the dog wasthe biggest coward in the world and would make a humble apology, and soeloquently represented to him the glory he would obtain for manifestingso much spirit, that at length the rabbit was persuaded to go out anddeliver the challenge.
"I'll be your second," said the fox; "and the great field on the otherside the wood, two miles hence, shall be the place of battle: there weshall be out of observation. You go first, I'll follow in half an hour;and I say, hark!--in case he does accept the challenge, and you feel theleast afraid, I'll be in the field, and take it off your paws with theutmost pleasure; rely on _me_, my dear sir!"
Away went the rabbit. The dog was a little astonished at the temerityof the poor creature; but on hearing that the fox was to be present,willingly consented to repair to the place of conflict. This readinessthe rabbit did not at all relish; he went very slowly to the field,and seeing no fox there, his heart misgave him; and while the dog wasputting his nose to the ground to try if he could track the coming ofthe fox, the rabbit slipped into a burrow, and left the dog to walk backagain.
Meanwhile the fox was already at the rock; he walked very soft-footedly,and looked about with extreme caution, for he had a vague notion that agriffin-papa would not be very civil to foxes.
Now there were two holes in the rock,--one below, one above, an upperstory and an under; and while the fox was peering about, he saw a greatclaw from the upper rock beckoning to him.
"Ah, ah!" said the fox, "that's the wanton young griffiness, I'llswear."
He approached, and a voice said,--
"Charming Mr. Reynard, do you not think you could deliver an unfortunategriffiness from a barbarous confinement in this rock?"
"Oh, heavens!" cried the fox, tenderly, "what a beautiful voice! and,ah, my poor heart, what a lovely claw! Is it possible that I hear thedaughter of my lord, the great griffin?"
"Hush, flatterer! not so loud, if you please. My father is taking anevening stroll, and is very quick of hearing. He has tied me up bymy poor wings in the cavern, for he is mightily afraid of some beastrunning away with me. You know I have all my fortune settled on myself."
"Talk not of fortune," said the fox; "but how can I deliver you? Shall Ienter and gnaw the cord?"
"Alas!" answered the griffiness, "it is an immense chain I am boundwith. However, you may come in and talk more at your ease."
The fox peeped cautiously all round, and seeing no sign of the griffin,he entered the lower cave and stole upstairs to the upper story; but ashe went on, he saw immense piles of jewels and gold, and all sorts oftreasure, so that the old griffin might well have laughed at thepoor cat being called an heiress. The fox was greatly pleased at suchindisputable signs of wealth, and he entered the upper cave, resolved tobe transported with the charms of the griffiness.
There was, however, a great chasm between the landing-place and the spotwhere the young lady was chained, and he found it impossible to pass;the cavern was very dark, but he saw enough of the figure of thegriffiness to perceive, in spite of her petticoat, that she was theimage of her father, and the most hideous heiress that the earth eversaw!
However, he swallowed his disgust, and poured forth such a heap ofcompliments that the griffiness appeared entirely won.
He implored her to fly with him the first moment she was unchained.
"That is impossible," said she; "for my father never unchains me exceptin his presence, and then I cannot stir out of his sight."
"The wretch!" cried Reynard, "what is to be done?"
"Why, there is only one thing I know of," answered the griffiness,"which is this: I always make his soup for him, and
if I could mixsomething in it that would put him fast to sleep before he had time tochain me up again I might slip down and carry off all the treasure belowon my back."
"Charming!" exclaimed Reynard; "what invention! what wit! I will go andget some poppies directly."
"Alas!" said the griffiness, "poppies have no effect upon griffins. Theonly thing that can ever put my father fast to sleep is a nice young catboiled up in his soup; it is astonishing what a charm that has upon him!But where to get a cat?--it must be a maiden cat too!"
Reynard was a little startled at so singular an opiate. "But," thoughthe, "griffins are not like the rest of the world, and so rich an heiressis not to be won by ordinary means."
"I do know a cat,--a maiden cat," said he, after a short pause; "butI feel a little repugnance at the thought of having her boiled in thegriffin's soup. Would not a dog do as well?"
"Ah, base thing!" said the griffiness, appearing to weep; "you are inlove with the cat, I see it; go and marry her, poor dwarf that she is,and leave me to die of grief."
In vain the fox protested that he did not care a straw for the cat;nothing could now appease the griffiness but his positive assurance thatcome what would poor puss should be brought to the cave and boiled forthe griffin's soup.
"But how will you get her here?" said the griffiness.
"Ah, leave that to me," said Reynard. "Only put a basket out of thewindow and draw it up by a cord; the moment it arrives at the window, besure to clap your claw on the cat at once, for she is terribly active."
"Tush!" answered the heiress; "a pretty griffiness I should be if I didnot know how to catch a cat!"
"But this must be when your father is out?" said Reynard.
"Certainly; he takes a stroll every evening at sunset."
"Let it be to-morrow, then," said Reynard, impatient for the treasure.
This being arranged, Reynard thought it time to decamp. He stole downthe stairs again, and tried to filch some of the treasure by the way;but it was too heavy for him to carry, and he was forced to acknowledgeto himself that it was impossible to get the treasure without taking thegriffiness (whose back seemed prodigiously strong) into the bargain.
He returned home to the cat, and when he entered her house, and saw howordinary everything looked after the jewels in the griffin's cave, hequite wondered how he had ever thought the cat had the least pretensionsto good looks. However, he concealed his wicked design, and his mistressthought he had never appeared so amiable.
"Only guess," said he, "where I have been!--to our new neighbour thegriffin; a most charming person, thoroughly affable, and quite the airof the court. As for that silly magpie, the griffin saw her character atonce; and it was all a hoax about his daughter,--he has no daughter atall. You know, my dear, hoaxing is a fashionable amusement among thegreat. He says he has heard of nothing but your beauty, and on mytelling him we were going to be married, he has insisted upon giving agreat ball and supper in honour of the event. In fact, he is a gallantold fellow, and dying to see you. Of course, I was obliged to accept theinvitation."
"You could not do otherwise," said the unsuspecting young creature, who,as I before said, was very susceptible to flattery.
"And only think how delicate his attentions are," said the fox. "As heis very badly lodged for a beast of his rank, and his treasure takes upthe whole of the ground floor, he is forced to give the _fete_ in theupper story, so he hangs out a basket for his guests, and draws them upwith his own claw. How condescending! But the great _are_ so amiable!"
The cat, brought up in seclusion, was all delight at the idea of seeingsuch high life, and the lovers talked of nothing else all the nextday,--when Reynard, towards evening, putting his head out of the window,saw his old friend the dog lying as usual and watching him very grimly."Ah, that cursed creature! I had quite forgotten him; what is to bedone now? He would make no bones of me if he once saw me set foot out ofdoors."
With that, the fox began to cast in his head how he should get ridof his rival, and at length he resolved on a very notable project; hedesired the cat to set out first, and wait for him at a turn in the roada little way off. "For," said he, "if we go together we shall certainlybe insulted by the dog; and he will know that in the presence of a lady,the custom of a beast of my fashion will not suffer me to avenge theaffront. But when I am alone, the creature is such a coward that he willnot dare say his soul's his own; leave the door open and I'll followimmediately."
The cat's mind was so completely poisoned against her cousin that sheimplicitly believed this account of his character; and accordingly, withmany recommendations to her lover not to sully his dignity by gettinginto any sort of quarrel with the dog, she set off first.
The dog went up to her very humbly, and begged her to allow him to say afew words to her; but she received him so haughtily, that his spirit wasup; and he walked back to the tree more than ever enraged against hisrival. But what was his joy when he saw that the cat had left the dooropen! "Now, wretch," thought he, "you cannot escape me!" So he walkedbriskly in at the back door. He was greatly surprised to find Reynardlying down in the straw, panting as if his heart would break, androlling his eyes in the pangs of death.
"Ah, friend," said the fox, with a faltering voice, "you are avenged,my hour is come; I am just going to give up the ghost: put your paw uponmine, and say you forgive me."
Despite his anger, the generous dog could not set tooth on a dying foe.
"You have served me a shabby trick," said he; "you have left me tostarve in a hole, and you have evidently maligned me with my cousin:certainly I meant to be avenged on you; but if you are really dying,that alters the affair."
"Oh, oh!" groaned the fox, very bitterly; "I am past help; the poor catis gone for Doctor Ape, but he'll never come in time. What a thing itis to have a bad conscience on one's death-bed! But wait till the catreturns, and I'll do you full justice with her before I die."
The good-natured dog was much moved at seeing his mortal enemy in such astate, and endeavoured as well as he could to console him.
"Oh, oh!" said the fox; "I am so parched in the throat, I am burning;"and he hung his tongue out of his mouth, and rolled his eyes morefearfully than ever.
"Is there no water here?" said the dog, looking round.
"Alas, no!--yet stay! yes, now I think of it, there is some in thatlittle hole in the wall; but how to get at it! It is so high that Ican't, in my poor weak state, climb up to it; and I dare not ask such afavour of one I have injured so much."
"Don't talk of it," said the dog: "but the hole's very small, I couldnot put my nose through it."
"No; but if you just climb up on that stone, and thrust your paw intothe hole, you can dip it into the water, and so cool my poor parchedmouth. Oh, what a thing it is to have a bad conscience!"
The dog sprang upon the stone, and, getting on his hind legs, thrust hisfront paw into the hole; when suddenly Reynard pulled a string that hehad concealed under the straw, and the dog found his paw caught tight tothe wall in a running noose.
"Ah, rascal!" said he, turning round; but the fox leaped up gayly fromthe straw, and fastening the string with his teeth to a nail in theother end of the wall, walked out, crying, "Good-by, my dear friend;have a care how you believe hereafter in sudden conversions!" So he leftthe dog on his hind legs to take care of the house.
Reynard found the cat waiting for him where he had appointed, and theywalked lovingly together till they came to the cave. It was now dark,and they saw the basket waiting below; the fox assisted the poor catinto it. "There is only room for one," said he, "you must go first!" Uprose the basket; the fox heard a piteous mew, and no more.
"So much for the griffin's soup!" thought he.
He waited patiently for some time, when the griffiness, waving her clawfrom the window, said cheerfully, "All's right, my dear Reynard; my papahas finished his soup, and sleeps as sound as a rock! All the noise inthe world would not wake him now, till he has slept off the boiled cat,which won't be these twe
lve hours. Come and assist me in packing up thetreasure; I should be sorry to leave a single diamond behind."
"So should I," quoth the fox. "Stay, I'll come round by the lowerhole: why, the door's shut! pray, beautiful griffiness, open it to thyimpatient adorer."
"Alas, my father has hid the key! I never know where he places it. Youmust come up by the basket; see, I will lower it for you."
The fox was a little loth to trust himself in the same conveyance thathad taken his mistress to be boiled; but the most cautious grow rashwhen money's to be gained, and avarice can trap even a fox. So he puthimself as comfortably as he could into the basket, and up he went in aninstant. It rested, however, just before it reached the window, and thefox felt, with a slight shudder, the claw of the griffiness stroking hisback.
"Oh, what a beautiful coat!" quoth she, caressingly.
"You are too kind," said the fox; "but you can feel it more at yourleisure when I am once up. Make haste, I beseech you."
"Oh, what a beautiful bushy tail! Never did I feel such a tail."
"It is entirely at your service, sweet griffiness," said the fox; "butpray let me in. Why lose an instant?"
"No, never did I feel such a tail! No wonder you are so successful withthe ladies."
"Ah, beloved griffiness, my tail is yours to eternity, but you pinch ita little too hard."
Scarcely had he said this, when down dropped the basket, but not withthe fox in it; he found himself caught by the tail, and dangling halfway down the rock, by the help of the very same sort of pulley wherewithhe had snared the dog. I leave you to guess his consternation; he yelpedout as loud as he could,--for it hurts a fox exceedingly to be hanged byhis tail with his head downwards,--when the door of the rock opened, andout stalked the griffin himself, smoking his pipe, with a vast crowd ofall the fashionable beasts in the neighbourhood.
"Oho, brother," said the bear, laughing fit to kill himself; "who eversaw a fox hanged by the tail before?"
"You'll have need of a physician," quoth Doctor Ape.
"A pretty match, indeed; a griffiness for such a creature as you!" saidthe goat, strutting by him.
The fox grinned with pain, and said nothing. But that which hurt himmost was the compassion of a dull fool of a donkey, who assured him withgreat gravity that he saw nothing at all to laugh at in his situation!
"At all events," said the fox, at last, "cheated, gulled, betrayed asI am, I have played the same trick to the dog. Go and laugh at him,gentlemen; he deserves it as much as I can, I assure you."
"Pardon me," said the griffin, taking the pipe out of his mouth; "onenever laughs at the honest."
"And see," said the bear, "here he is."
And indeed the dog had, after much effort, gnawed the string in two, andextricated his paw; the scent of the fox had enabled him to trackhis footsteps, and here he arrived, burning for vengeance and findinghimself already avenged.
But his first thought was for his dear cousin. "Ah, where is she?" hecried movingly; "without doubt that villain Reynard has served her somescurvy trick."
"I fear so indeed, my old friend," answered the griffin; "but don'tgrieve,--after all, she was nothing particular. You shall marry mydaughter the griffiness, and succeed to all the treasure; ay, and allthe bones that you once guarded so faithfully."
"Talk not to me," said the faithful dog. "I want none of your treasure;and, though I don't mean to be rude, your griffiness may go to thedevil. I will run over the world, but I will find my dear cousin."
"See her then," said the griffin; and the beautiful cat, more beautifulthan ever, rushed out of the cavern, and threw herself into the dog'spaws.
A pleasant scene this for the fox! He had skill enough in the femaleheart to know that it may excuse many little infidelities, but to beboiled alive for a griffin's soup--no, the offence was inexpiable.
"You understand me, Mr. Reynard," said the griffin, "I have no daughter,and it was me you made love to. Knowing what sort of a creature a magpieis, I amused myself with hoaxing her,--the fashionable amusement atcourt, you know."
The fox made a mighty struggle, and leaped on the ground, leaving histail behind him. It did not grow again in a hurry.
"See," said the griffin, as the beasts all laughed at the figure Reynardmade running into the wood, "the dog beats the fox with the ladies,after all; and cunning as he is in everything else, the fox is the lastcreature that should ever think of making love!"
The Pilgrims of the Rhine Page 38