Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-01-07
readv walking in the 6eld in the early

ready walking in the field in the early
morningf" II am going to walk, said
the hedgehog. ITO walk ?" laughed the
hare; ''methinks thou coulds't use thy
legs for better things" This answer an
gered the hedgehog excessively; for he
does not let any one rally him on his legs,
even though they are crooked by nature.
You really imagine said the hedgehog,
that you can perform more with your
legs2" "Thst think l." said the hare.
"NOw that depends on a trial." resumed
the hedgehog; IL wager that, il We run
a race, l run by you" That is jest,
thou. with thy crooked legs J" said the
hare; "but as far as | am concerned let
it be, if thou hast so great pleasure
What shall the wager bef" "a gold
louis dor and bottle Of schnapps,' said
the hedgehog "Give US your hand, said
the hare, "and then it can begin forth
with" No, it hes not so great haste, ="
said the hedgehog IL am yet quite hun
CRY; will first 60 home and eat little.
In half an hour | will be at the place"
Away vent the hedgehog, and the hare
was satisfied.
o. the way the hedgehog said to him
self: The hare trusts to his long legs,
) bat will get him; he thinks tosurely be
q gentleman of rank, but is still a stupid
fellow. and must pay for it" WhNa the
hedgehog got rome, he said to his wife,
Wife, get ready quickly, thou must go
into the Geld" What's up then p said
his wife IL have bet a gold louis dor
and bottle of schnspps with the hare,
that will run race with him. and thou
shOulds't be there" 10, my God, my
man :" cried the hedgehog's wife. Art
thou not wise, hast thou intellect TO loser
!, Hold your jaw, woman" said the hedge
hog; that's my affair; don't reason about
meu's business. March, dress yourself
aud come along" What could she dot
She must follow whether she pleased or
not. When they were together on the
way, he said to his wife: Give heed to
what | say. See, on the long field, that
we run our race. The hare runs in one
iurrow. and in the other; We start from
above. Thou hast nothing to do, only to
place myself in the furow, and when the
hare comes out on the other side, call out
u him, i am already here"
When they came to the long field. be
put his wife in the place, and went up the
field. When he arrived the hare was a.
ready there. Can il begin ?" asked the
hare. TO be sure" answered the hedge
hog Then only TO it." Each placed
himself in his furrow. The hare count
ed: "Oue, two, three ~ and away he went
like a tempest The hedgehog only went
three PAGES, then turned in the furrow and
remained quietly waiting. When the
hare came out in the full course, the
hedgehog's wife called to him II sm ST.
ready here" The hare stopped and wou-
dered not little. lie thought not but
that it was the hedgehog himself who call
ei 10 him. as it is well known that the
hedgehOg's wife is precisely like her hus-
band.
The hare thought; That's not done
fairly" lie cried We'll run again ="
And away he went 50 like tempest that
his ears few; when he got out the hedge
hog cried 81 am already here The
hare, beside himself with anger cried /:
Not again to be beaten. You are
right, answered the hedgehog; mot again,
If thou hast 50 much pleasure. The hare
ran seventy-tbree times, and the hedgehog
always concealed himself Each time as
the hare came to either side, the hedge
hog or his wife said 81 am already here. ="
The seventy-fourth time the hare came
out TO the end 20 more In the midst Of
the field the hare fell 10 the earth, the
blood flowed from MS throat, and he lay
dead on the field The hedgehog took
his won louis dor and bottle Of brandy,
called his wife out of the furrow, aud both
went happily toward home; and if they
are not dead they still live.
Thus Is told on Buxthede heath Of the
hedgehog that ran the hare to death, aud
since that time no hare has fallen in with
a BuXthede hedgehog to run race.
The lesson OF this story is, first, that no
one, if he thinks himself distinguished,
should presume to make fun Of the least
person, even though he is only hedge
hog; secondly, that it lie advisable if one
wOOes, that he take wife from his own
level, who appears like himself
Who also is hedgehog, let him see to
j, That his wife is hedgehog also.
BETHEL, April, 1873. II. L. F.