A peasant had a faithful horse which had grown old and coulddo no more work, so his master would no longer give himanything to eat and said, "I can certainly make no more useof thee, but still I mean well by thee; if thou provest thyselfstill strong enough to bring me a lion here, I will maintainthee, but now take thyself away out of my stable," and withthat he chased him into the open country. The horse wassad, and went to the forest to seek a little protection therefrom the weather. Then the fox met him and said, "Why dost thouhang thy head so, and go about all alone?" "Alas," replied thehorse, "avarice¹ and fidelity² do not dwell together in onehouse. My master has forgotten what services I haveperformed for him for so many years, and because I can nolonger plough well, he will give me no more food, and hasdriven me out." "Without giving thee a chance?" asked the fox.

"The chance was a bad one. He said, if I were still strongenough to bring him a lion, he would keep me, but he wellknows that I cannot do that." The fox said, "I will help thee,just lay thyself down, stretch thyself out, as if thou wertdead, and do not stir." The horse did as the fox desired,and the fox went to the lion, who had his den³ not far off,and said, "A dead horse is lying outside there, just comewith me, thou canst have a rich meal." The lion went withhim, and when they were both standing⁴ by the horse the fox said,"After all, it is not very comfortable for thee here I tell thee what Iwill fasten it to thee by the tail, and then thou canst drag itinto thy cave, and devour⁵ it in peace."This advice pleased the lion: he lay down, and in order thatthe fox might tie the horse fast to him, he kept quite quiet.

But the fox tied the lion's legs together with the horse'stail, and twisted and fastened all so well and so stronglythat no strength could break it. When he had finished hiswork, he tapped the horse on the shoulder and said, "Pull,white horse, pull." Then up sprang the horse at once, anddrew the lion away with him. The lion began to roar sothat all the birds in the forest flew out in terror, butthe horse let him roar, and drew him and dragged him overthe country to his master's door. When the master saw thelion, he was of a better mind, and said to the horse, "Thoushalt stay with me and fare well," and he gave him plentyto eat until he died.

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