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'Mouse would you like to eat?" said Reineke. "Tell me

in earnest.

I can oblige you with that. In his yard my neighbour the

parson

Has a barn with so many mice that not even a waggon Would convey them all. I hear the parson complaining 45 That both by day and by night they are growing more troublesome to him."

Then incautiously answered the cat: "Pray do me the kindness

Hence to lead and show me the mice, for far above wild

game

Give me a mouse for delicate flavour." And Reineke answered:

"Now of a truth, indeed, you shall relish a capital dinner. How to oblige you I know, so let us dawdle no longer." 51

Hintze believed and followed.

the parson,

They came to the barn of

Close to the mud-built wall. Through this had Reineke slyly Burrowed the day before, and while the parson was

sleeping

54

Had abstracted the best of his cocks. And there little Martin, Well-loved son of the reverend man, desirous of vengeance, Over the hole had cleverly tied a string with a slip-knot: Thus he hoped the cock to avenge when the thief was re

turning.

Reineke knew and remarked it, and said: "My nephew beloved,

Creep inside here straight through the hole, and while you

are mousing,

6c

Here in front I will keep a watch. In heaps in the darkness 'Twill be easy to catch them. Listen how gaily they're

squeaking!

When you've eaten enough, return. Here still you will find me. We must not part from each other to-night, for early to

morrow

Must we be off, and shorten the road with enlivening con

verse."

65

"Do you think," said the cat, "that this is a safe place to

creep in ?

Some of these parsons, too, are rather malicious of purpose." Then the fox, the rascal, replied: "Why, how can one tell that ?

If you are timid, then let us go back. I vouch that my wife will

Give you a welcome with honour, and make you a savoury

dinner.

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Should it not be of mice, let us eat it still with enjoyment." Hintze, the cat, however, sprang in at the opening, ashamed

by

Reineke's words of derision, and straight in the noose was entangled.

Thus did Reineke's guests experience bad entertainment!

Hintze, as soon as he found that his neck in the noose was surrounded,

75

Anxiously pulled himself together, and terribly blundered; For with a powerful spring he pulled the string all the tighter. Piteously cried he aloud to Reineke, who on the outside Heard with malicious joy, and thus spoke in at the opening: Hintze, how do the mice taste? You find them, I reckon, well fattened.

66

80

If little Martin but knew how you were devouring his wild

game,

Mustard he'd certainly bring, for he is a youth of good

manners.

Do they sing so at Court at dinner? the tone is suspicious! If I had only Isegrim here in the hole, as I've managed Now to bring you to ruin, he too should certainly pay me 85 All the evil he's done me." And so went Reineke onwards.

Yet he went not only to perpetrate picking and stealing; Plunder, adultery, murder, deceit, he held none of them sinful.

And he had just made out a plan in his mind, for he purposed

Gieremund fair with a double intent to visit. The first

was

90

This, to hear from her what Isegrim's special complaint

was;

Secondly, his old sins the rascal thought of renewing,

Back to the Court had Isegrim gone-he might use the occasion.

For could anyone doubt that the she-wolf's own inclination Tow'rds that shameless fox had excited Isegrim's anger? 95 Reineke entered the lady's abode, but found she was absent. "Greet you God, my little step-children," he said, not a word more.

Giving a friendly nod to the children, he went on his busi

ness.

When Lady Gieremund came (it was scarcely dawn in the morning)

Yes, very

100

Said she: Did nobody come to ask for me?" " lately Godfather Reineke came and went. He wanted to see you. All of us who are here he called his little step-children.” Whereupon Gieremund cried: "He shall pay for that," and departed

In the self-same hour to punish the outrage. She knew well Where he was wont to resort. She found and with fury addressed him:

105

"What kind of words are these, and what are the scandalous

speeches

You without any conscience before my children have

spoken ?

These you will have to account for." Thus angrily speaking, upon him

Looks of fury she cast, and seizing his beard she then

made him

Feel the force of her teeth, but he ran and tried to escape

After him swiftly she flew. Whereupon there befell some adventures.

Close in the neighbourhood lay a castle, fallen to ruin ; Into it both were running at full speed; but, as it happened, One of the walls of a tower by reason of age was divided. Reineke slipped himself through, but even he had to squeeze it.

115

Not very wide was the crack. The she-wolf quickly inserted Big and stout as she was, her head in the fissure, and

squeezing,

Pushed and crushed and tore and tried to follow, but

ever

Deeper she wedged herself in, and could move neither forwards nor backwards.

This when Reineke saw, he ran through a roundabout

passage,

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Back to the other side again, and offered his service. She was not wanting in words, however, but roundly abused him :

"Like a rascally thief thou behavest." Reineke answered: "Though it may never have happen'd before, let it happen for this time."

Little honour it brings to save one's wife by another,

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As now Reineke did, but 'twas all the same to the

sinner.

When the she-wolf at last to escape from the fissure had

managed,

Reineke, too, was gone, and on his way had departed. Thus the lady who thought that she for herself could get

justice,

And her own honour preserve, to double disgrace was

subjected.

130

Let us, however, go back and look after Hintze, poor

creature.

When he found himself caught, he cried in the manner of tomcats,

Dolefully mewing. This heard little Martin, and sprang from his pillow.

66

God be praised! I fastened the noose in a fortunate

moment

Over the hole, and the thief has been caught, and now I

bethink me,

135

Well shall he pay for stealing the cock." Thus jubilant

Martin.

Quickly he kindled a light (in the house all the people were sleeping),

Woke up at once his father and mother, and all the domestics,

Crying aloud, "The fox is caught. Oh! how we will serve

him!"

140

All came, little and big. The parson even arising,
Threw a small cloak on his shoulders; a pair of candles his

cook held,

Running before them in front, and hastily had little Martin

Seized on a bludgeon, and with it he made at once for the tom-cat,

Pummelled his hide and his head, and savagely knocked him an eye out.

All set upon him; the parson came with a two-pointed pitchfork :

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Running hastily in, he thought the robber to settle. Hintze expected to die, and sprang with desperate madness Straight at the parson's thighs, and bit and scratched him

severely,

Shamefully maiming the man, his own

avenging.

eye fiercely Crying aloud, the parson down on the earth fell and

fainted.

150

Unbethinkingly swore the cook that the devil himself

had

Purposely played her the scurvy trick, and doubly and trebly

Did she swear that if to her lord had not happened the

evil,

She would gladly have lost her trifle of worldly posses

sions.

Nay, she even swore, she would gladly have yielded a

treasure,

155

Had it been hers, of gold, nor would she have ever re

pented.

Thus she bewailed the shame of her lord and his terrible wounding;

Whom at last to bed with lamentation they carried. Hintze meanwhile they left in the noose, and forgot all

about him.

Now when Hintze, the cat, perceived that he was aban

160

Painfully beaten and badly wounded, and very near

doned,

dying,

D