Tales of Laughter — The Fox and the Horse
_The Fox and the Horse_ There was once a farmer who had a horse which served him faithfully till he was too old to work any longer, and then his master would not give him anything to eat, but said: “I cannot really find any use for you now, but still I mean you well, and so, if you will show yourself strong enough to bring home a lion, I will requite you; but now you must make yourself scarce in this stable!
” So saying, the farmer drove the poor horse out; and he went with drooping head toward the forest to shelter himself there from the weather.
In among the trees he met a fox, who asked him why he looked so careworn and walked so downcast.
“Alas!
” said the horse, “avarice and fidelity dwell not in the same house together; my master has forgotten all the services which I have rendered him for so many years, and, because I am unable now to work any longer, he will not give me any fodder, but has driven me out of the stable.
” “Without any hope?
” inquired the fox.
“The hope is slight enough,” replied the horse; “he said that if I could manage to bring him back a lion he would receive me; but he knows well I cannot do that.
” “Then I will help you,” replied the fox; “now lie down and stretch yourself out, and do not stir, so that you may appear dead.
” The horse, accordingly, did as he was bid, and the fox went to the lion, whose den was not very far off, and said to him, “Near here lies a dead horse; come with me and you may make a capital meal.
” The lion accompanied the fox, and when they came to the horse the fox said: “Hist!
listen to what I am about to say; you can have this beast at your convenience; I will bind it to you by the tail, and you shall then drag it away to your den, and devour it at your leisure.
” This advice pleased the lion, and, in order that the fox might knot the horse’s tail fast to him, he stood with his back toward it, quite still.
The fox, however, cunningly tied the lion’s legs together with the hairs of the horse’s tail, and pulled and knotted all so carefully that no strength could have divided it.
As soon as his work was finished the fox tapped the horse on the shoulder, and cried, “Drag, my friend, drag!
” The horse jumped up at once and drew the lion away with him.
The beast soon began to roar, so that all the birds in the forest flew away in terror, but the horse let him roar while he quietly dragged him to his master’s door.
Now, when the farmer saw this proof of the fidelity of his horse, he thought better of his former resolution, and said to the faithful animal: “You shall remain with me now, and live at your ease.
” And so the good horse had good meals and good treatment till he died.
