格林童话选 英文版 Grimms' Fairy Tales
格林兄弟 Brüder Grimm
THE FOX AND THE HORSE
A farmer had a horse that had been an excellent faithful servant tohim: but he was now grown too old to work; so the farmer would givehim nothing more to eat, and said, 'I want you no longer, so takeyourself off out of my stable; I shall not take you back again untilyou are stronger than a lion.' Then he opened the door and turned himadrift.
The poor horse was very melancholy, and wandered up and down in thewood, seeking some little shelter from the cold wind and rain.Presently a fox met him: 'What's the matter, my friend?' said he, 'whydo you hang down your head and look so lonely and woe-begone?' 'Ah!'replied the horse, 'justice and avarice never dwell in one house; mymaster has forgotten all that I have done for him so many years, andbecause I can no longer work he has turned me adrift, and says unlessI become stronger than a lion he will not take me back again; whatchance can I have of that? he knows I have none, or he would not talkso.'
However, the fox bid him be of good cheer, and said, 'I will help you;lie down there, stretch yourself out quite stiff, and pretend to bedead.' The horse did as he was told, and the fox went straight to thelion who lived in a cave close by, and said to him, 'A little way offlies a dead horse; come with me and you may make an excellent meal ofhis carcase.' The lion was greatly pleased, and set off immediately;and when they came to the horse, the fox said, 'You will not be ableto eat him comfortably here; I'll tell you what--I will tie you fastto his tail, and then you can draw him to your den, and eat him atyour leisure.'
This advice pleased the lion, so he laid himself down quietly for thefox to make him fast to the horse. But the fox managed to tie his legstogether and bound all so hard and fast that with all his strength hecould not set himself free. When the work was done, the fox clappedthe horse on the shoulder, and said, 'Jip! Dobbin! Jip!' Then up hesprang, and moved off, dragging the lion behind him. The beast beganto roar and bellow, till all the birds of the wood flew away forfright; but the horse let him sing on, and made his way quietly overthe fields to his master's house.
'Here he is, master,' said he, 'I have got the better of him': andwhen the farmer saw his old servant, his heart relented, and he said.'Thou shalt stay in thy stable and be well taken care of.' And so thepoor old horse had plenty to eat, and lived--till he died.