The Two Brothers

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Then a fox crept across their path, and they thought they would shoot him, but he cried—

And he also brought out two of his cubs, but the huntsmen again did not like to kill them; so they gave them to the hares as companions, and the four followed together.

Soon after this, a wolf stepped out from the thicket, and the huntsmen aimed at her, but the wolf cried—

The two young wolves were added to the other animals, and also followed along with them.

Next a bear appeared, who thought he should like to trot about a bit longer, and so he cried—

These two cubs now brought the number of the animals up to eight.

And last of all, what came? a lion—shaking his mane. But the huntsmen were not to be frightened, and they pointed their guns at him, but the lion also cried—

And he brought his young ones to them; and now the huntsmen had two lions, two bears, two wolves, two foxes, and two hares, and these all followed after them and were of service to them.

But with all this their hunger was not appeased, so they said to the foxes: "Listen, you sly ones, you are slim and artful, get us something to eat." They answered: "There is a village not far from here, from which we have stolen many a hen; we can show you the way thither." They went on therefore to the village, bought food for themselves and their animals, and then went further on their road. The foxes knew the neighbourhood well, and where all the best poultry-yards were to be found, so the huntsmen found them very useful as guides.