accustomed to wolves yet, and he might tear holes in my new
trousers.'

'Well, just listen,' said Jonas, 'I am beginning to think that
Walter is not so brave as people say. First of all Walter would
fight against four, and then against three, then two, and then
one, and now Walter wants help with one. Such a thing must never
be; what would people say? Perhaps they would think that Walter
is a coward?'

'That's a lie,' said Walter, 'I am not at all frightened, but it
is more amusing when there are two. I only want someone who will
see how I strike the wolf and how the dust flies out of his
skin.'

'Well, then, Walter can take the miller's little Lisa with him.
She can sit on a stone and look on,' said Jonas.

'No, she would certainly be frightened,' said Walter, 'and how
would it do for a girl to go wolf-hunting? Come with me, Jonas,
and you shall have the skin, and I will be content with the ears
and the tail.'

'No, thank you,' said Jonas, 'Walter can keep the skin for
himself. Now I see quite well that he is frightened. Fie, shame
on him!'

This touched Walter's pride very near. 'I shall show that I am
not frightened,' he said; and so he took his drum, sabre, cock's
feather, clasp-knife, pop-gun and air-pistol, and went off quite