Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-01-22

not gone tar rom the mouse, anu was ''oou'
to turn, just by the thorn bush which
stands before the field near the turnlp
patch, when he met the hare who had
gone out on similar business, namely, to
look after his cabbages. When the hedge
hog caught sight of the hare he babe him
a friendly Sc good morning!" But the
hare, who in his own way was mighty
fine gentleman. and held his head very
high, answered nothing to the hedgehog's
greeting. but said to the hedgehog, putting
on thereby a most scornful mien, " How
happens it, thou art strolling about here IN
the field so early in the morniug?
g | am taking Il walk, said the hedge
hog.
Taking walk" laughed the hare;
/" methinks thou mightest use those legs of
thine for better things"
The answer vexed the hedgehog hugely
for he could stand almost anything, but
his legs he did not like to have spoken
about because they were crooken by ma
ture.
Thou thinkest, perhaps said the
hedgehog TO the hare " thou could st do
more with thine own legs"
That's what [ do think, said the
hare.
THAT depends upon the trial. quoth
the hedgehog. 8 bet that II we run ut
a race together, beat thee hollow.
THAT is quite laughable; thou with
thy crooked legs > said the hare; - but
I've nothing against it if thou are so bent
upon it. What's the bet?
a golden louis d OF and bottle OF
brandy said the hedgehog.
Done" said the hare; 9 fall in and
then it may come off at once
II. }, hmm GaII a
hedgehog; Il am still quite hungry: I'll
go home and get a bite of breakfast first;
within half an hour III be here again on
the spot
With this the hedgehog went his way for
the hare was also content.
On the way the hedgehog thought to
himself
The hare trusts in his long legs. but
I'll fetch him for all that he's a fine
gentleman. to be sure, but still he 5 only
stupid fellow, and pay he shall.
Now, when the hedgehog came to his
house, he said to his wife -
Wife, dress myself in my gear quick
/ "; thou must 90 with me to the field
What's all this about" said the wife.
I've bet the hare Il golden louis dor
and bottle of brandy that beat him III
a race, and thou must be by"
80, my God. husband,' began the
hedgehog's wife to cry, : art thou foolish?
hast thou quite lost thy understanding?
How can st thou wish to run a race with
the hare?
Hold thy mouth, wife said the
hedgehog. that's my business; don't
NEEDLE with mems affairs. March dress
myself in my clothes and come along
" hat could the hedgehog s wife do? She
had to follow whether OF no. When they
were on the way together, the hedgehog
said to his wife: :. Now listen to what
have to say Seest thou, on the long acre
wonder will he run onr race. The hare
runs in one fuTow, and | another, and We
begin to run from up there. Now thou
hast nothing else to DO than take thy
place here in the furrow. and when the
hare comes up the other side thou must
call out to him. I'm here already" With
this they had reached the field; the hedge
hoe showed his wife her place and went
up the furrow When he GOT to the upper
end the hare WAS already there.
Can we start? 49, said the hare.
Yes. iLdccd," said the hedgehog.
TO it. thenr' and with that each placed
himself in his flrrow. and the hare count
) ed one two, three, and away he went like
Il storm Of wind down the field But thu
hedgehog ran about three steps. and then
ducked down in the furrow. and sat still
/ When the hare. on the full bound. came
/ to the lower end of the field, the hedge
| hog's wife called out to him. = I'm here
; already" The hare started and wondered
not Il little; he thought not otherwise than
/ that ii was the hedgehog himself that ran
/ out TO meet HIM, for. as every one knows
the hcdgehogs wife looks lust like her
husband.
But the hare thought; There's some
thing wrong about all this Another race,
; At it again and away he went like storm
wind, so that his ears law flat on his head.
/ But the hedgehog's wife staid quietly i'll
her place When the hare came to tn"
, upper end the hedgehog called ont to him
=" m here already" But the hare, beside
> himself with rage, cried, " Another race.
At it again
I'm quite willing, answered the
hedgehog, Just rs often as thou Hkest. "
So the hare ran thrrc-and-seventv times.
/ and the hedgehog held out to the very end
} with him. Every time the hare came
either below OF above, the hedgehog or his
, wife, said: - I'm here already"
But the four AMI seventeen the hare
came no more to the end. In the middle
vi tilt Itltl Ilt ltll " tIC tstt vi silt'i Ast
dead upon the spot
: SO the hedgehog took the louis dor and
the bottle of brandy he had won. called his
wife out of the furrow, and both went
home together; and if they have not died
they are living still. 50 happened it that
on the Buxtehude heath the hedgehog ran
the hare to death, and since that time no
hare has ever dreamed of running a race
with n RuXtehude hcdnchO~
But the moral of this story is first that
no one however high and mighty he may
| think himself, shall let it happen to him
to make merry over an humble man. even
if he be Il hedgehog; and, secondly. that it
> is advisable, when one marrics that he
take wife out of his own condition and
who looks just like himself. He therefore,
that is hedgehog must look to it that his
wife is also a hog; and SO forth.-From
the LoeC German of Schroeder.