The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-01
The WiIes of the Fox
HE IS ACCUSED


- ever. in spite OF the grave face that he
- N assume. But, although the young
.eopIe were free for fortnight. there
lid be little sport out of doors, for the
- fell in bucketfulls and the creeks ran
,,~b and everywhere there was mud. And
ir came about that storytelling was the
h.st game that the cousins could play.
S,oncr or later. OF course, the children told
an the tales they knew, and then they
.stea Uncle Frank TO tell them a story.
Vow. the young man had been reading at
rolleee an old story concerning the ami
mails Of the forest, and so he began to tell
& 70 the cousins. as follows:
"A long. long time ago. one bright spring
-,ornine. King Lion held his court, deep in
The forest All the mobiles had been sum-
r,oned 10 appear and many came. Bruin,
The bear. and Lobo, the wolf. and White
race the badger, were there. The crane,
the eagle and all their relatives came flying
overbead BY o'clock, when the King
came out of his palace, he counted all his
,-assals and found only one missing. Rey-
nard. the fox, of all the animals, alone
stafd away from the court. Then, when all
the other mobiles saw how their cousin was
absent at once they began to tell of the
various tricks and insults and injuries he
had put upon them. II seemed that none
had escaped him; some he had made sport
Of some he had Knocked and others he had
deeply wronged. LObO. as the largest of
the complaiuants, spoke first. saying:
80. King, thou knowest that 1 have
been a faithful vassal all the days of thy
kingship. Ever have / tried to exalt thy
glory and TO defend thy kingdom. See
now what is the reward of my devotion to
YOU? ReynaTd tricks me in every way; he
steals the food I have stored away; he
leases my children and he sets the hunts
man on my track. I pray thee, o. King,
let thy anger fall upon this mischievous
rascal that the peace and the law which
you have proclaimed be not broken. If L
were to speak every day for year 1 could
not tell all the injuries he has put upon me.
Avenge the insults of thy vassal, o King,
and live long upon the throner
when the wolf had finished his mourn
ful tale and had stepped back among the
courtiers. with tears shining in his eyes.
Cowardy, the dog. leapt forward and
whined.
Ne, too, King, the bad fox has
played tricks upon. For I hid a sausage
in the hedge. and when L went to get it
the other day, L saw Reynard eating 1t.
And when grew angry at his impudence
he threw back his head and laughed in my
face. l must have my wrong avenged too,
King, for 1 am but little beast, and
the fox is fierce
Before Cowardy could carry his whin-
ing complaint further. Tab. the cat, who
had never liked him. sprang upon the
kings throne and said:
True, my lord, the fox Is wicked and
tricky. But in taking Cowardy's sausage,
he did only what was just and right. For
a week ago, I went hunting, and when by
chance l entered the miller's cottage, there
found fine sausage hanging. which j
carried away. Behold now, as / bore 1t
home through the forest, Cowardy sprang
upon me, and snatched it away. Justice,
Kingl If Reynard shall be punished for
stealing from Cowardy, Cowardy shall be
punished for stealing from met
a great cry of growing and shrieking
arose from the assembled beasts at this
evidence in Reynard's favor. Then the
wildcat giided forward and began:
There is no need, o King. for me tc
fear the fox. Neither has he injured me;
a trick that well deserves your punish
ment. Listen, and hear how badly he
treated Lord Splitlip, the noble hare al
your side. Three days ago, as L strolleo
along the highway, heard a curious sing.
ing coming from out of a patch OF thicket
Softly L crept toward it, and parting the
bushes looked upon the stralgest thing
ever saw, For there. in an open place
sat Reynard. with his book in his hand
and switch under his arm. Before him
in row, stood Splitlip and his whole
family, coming their lessons. 1t seems
the hare afterward told me. that Rey
nard had promised TO teach them all tC
sing and so become monks; and here
they were practicing for dear life MARI
you. now. the witness OF the fox. Fol
never a hare could please him in the sing
ing. He danced first to this one, then L
that. striking right and left with his stick
Thus every time hare tried to sing, Rey
nard grew angrier; and finally, throwing
away his switch, he sprang upon Splitlil
and seized him by the throat. Look a
my poor friend as he stands there al
wounded. with the marks OF Reynard!
claws still upon him! All! 1 shudder wher
think what would have happened TO tn
honest fellow il had not come along II
time. o King, Reynard is too dangerou
to run at large Summon him TO court
and punish him as he deserves, that you
peace may be unbroken-'
The courtiers expressed their horror II
great groan: and then Whiteface. tn
badger, nephew of Reynard. stepped fortl
and adjusted spectacles. Hemming an'
having, he bowed gravely to the King an
the court; then in a solemn voice he com
menced his speech thus:
May il please your worship, o King
should like 10 say few words in defens
of my slandered uncle. The old proven
says. absent persons bear the blame;
and indeed I think il my uncle were her
these honorable gentlemen would not speal
as they do For it is well known to ali tn
noble lords that for years Lobo and M
uncle were bound together by contrac
OF friendship. Twice, indeed, Reynard ex
posed his life for his friends sake. Ono
when both were starving a man passed wit
a cart of fish. Reynard ran ahead throug
the woods and lay in the road as If dead
When the carter came up he looked long a
my uncle to see if there were any signs o
Ifs. When he saw none he picked up tn
fox and threw him on the cart. thinking {
H. n.