A farmer had a faithful horse that had grown old and could do no more work. He said to the horse:

“I can certainly make no more use of you, but still I mean well by you. If you prove yourself still strong enough to bring me a wolf here, I will maintain you, but now take yourself away out of my stable.”

With that he chased his horse into the open country. The horse was sad, and went to the forest to seek a little protection there from the weather.

There a fox met him and said:

“Why the long face? Why do you hang your head so, and go about so alone?

“Alas,” replied the horse, “avarice and fidelity do not dwell together in one house. My master has forgotten what services I have performed for him for so many years, and because I can no longer plough well, he will give me no more food, and has driven me out.”

“Without giving you a chance?” asked the fox.

“The chance was a bad one. He said, if I was still strong enough to bring him a wolf, he would keep me, but he knows I can’t do that.”

The fox said, “I will help you, just lay yourself down, stretch yourself out as if you were dead, and do not stir.”

The horse did as the fox desired, and the fox went to the wolf, who had his den not far off, and said:

“A dead horse is lying nearby, just come with me, you can have a rich meal.”

The wolf went with him, and when they were both standing by the horse, the fox said:

“Y’know, it’s just occurred to me this not very convenient for you here.” He scratched his head. “I tell you what - I will fasten the horse to you by the tail, and then you can drag it into your cave, and devour it in peace.”

“That’s a very good idea,” said the wolf. “I have often had to eat my dinner in uncomfortable places. This could be a change to the whole way I dine.”

The wolf lay down, and in order that the fox might tie the horse fast to him, he kept quite quiet. But the fox tied the wolf's legs together with the horse's tail, and twisted and fastened all so well and so strongly that no strength could break it. When the fox had finished his work, he tapped the horse on the shoulder and said:

“Pull, white horse, pull!”

Then up sprang the horse at once, and drew the wolf away with him. The wolf began to howl so that all the birds in the forest flew out in terror, but the horse let him howl, and drew him and dragged him over the country to his master's door.

When the master saw the wolf, he was of a better mind, and said to the horse:

“You shall stay with me and fare well,” and he gave him plenty to eat until he died.


Based on The Fox and the Horse