fish he had stolen.

"Where did you get those?" asked the Bear.

"Oh! my Lord Bruin, I've been out fishing and caught them," said the
Fox.

So the Bear had a mind to learn to fish too, and bade the Fox tell him
how he was to set about it.

"Oh! it is an easy craft for you," answered the Fox, "and soon learned.
You've only to go upon the ice, cut a hole, stick your tail down into
it, and hold it there as long as you can. You're not to mind if your
tail smarts a little; that's when the fish bite. The longer you hold it
there the more fish you'll get; and then all at once out with it, with a
cross pull sideways, and with a strong pull too."

Yes, the Bear did as the Fox had said, and held his tail a long, long
time down in the hole, till it was frozen in fast. Then he pulled it out
with a cross pull, and it snapped short off. That's why Bruin goes about
with a stumpy tail to this very day.




REYNARD AND THE COCK


Once on a time there was a cock who stood on the barnyard fence and
crowed and flapped his wings. Then the fox came by.