Once upon a time there was she-wolf who had brought into the world a young cub, and because she was feeling very pleased with herself, she decided to invite the fox to be godfather. There had always been a split between their two families, and she thought that at long last, this might be the opportunity to heal it.

"After all, he is a near relative of ours," said she, "he has a good understanding, and much talent, he can instruct my little son, and help him forward in the world."

"Those Foxes are good-for-nothings," opined an old aunt wolf. "No good will come of it, you mark my words."

"All I’m doing is extending the paw of friendship," replied the she-wolf. "It’s about time we got over our differences."

"There was a reason for the split in the first place," warned the old aunt, "but I can see that nothing will turn you from your own way of going."

The fox, when he received his invitation, appeared very pleased.

"Worthy Mrs. Wolf, I thank you for the honour which you are doing me. I will, however, conduct myself in such a way that you shall be repaid for it."

At the feast the fox enjoyed himself, and made merry. Afterwards he said, "Dear Mrs. Wolf, it is our duty to take care of the child. It must have good food that it may be strong. I know a sheep-fold from which we might fetch a nice morsel."

Mrs. Wolf was pleased with the idea, and she left her cub in the care of his auntie, and went out with the fox to the farmyard. The fox pointed out the fold from afar, and said, "You will be able to creep in there without being seen. In the meantime I will look about on the other side to see if I can pick up a chicken."

The fox, however, did not go there, but sat down at the entrance to the forest, stretched his legs and rested. Smiling to himself, he waited to see what would happen.

The she-wolf went into the farmyard and crept into the stable where a dog was lying. The dog set up such a racket that the farmer and his family came running out. When the she-wolf saw them, she made a serious attempt to escape. She ducked around a barn - and ran into a net.

As she struggled in the net, the farmer came up and looked down at her:

"We won’t kill, she-wolf, because we have been warned by dreams that a werewolf is abroad. If we kill you, then that would be a matter of weregild. Instead, we are going to teach you a lesson you’ll never forget!"

The farmer’s big, strapping, corn-fed sons pulled the she-wolf from the net, and poured a strong burning mixture of lye, which had been prepared for washing, over her skin. The pain was so frightful that the she-wolf thought she would die. The farmer’s sons wore gloves to protect their hands and as she writhed in pain, they kicked her about the farmyard until they grew bored with this sport. With one last kick to the ribs, the farmer turned his back on her and called his sons back to their work.

The poor she-wolf dragged herself outside, where she met up with the fox.

The fox, who pretended to have gone through the same experience, was full of complaints, saying, "Ah, dear Mrs. Wolf, how ill I have fared! The farmer’s sons have fallen on me, and have kicked me about their yard. If you do not want me to lie where I am and perish, you must carry me away."

The she-wolf herself was only able to walk slowly, but she was so concerned about the fox that she took him on her back, and slowly carried him (who was perfectly safe and sound!) to her house.

Half-fainting the she-wolf dropped the fox gently at her door, then struggled into her den, there to lick her bruises.

The fox jumped up, its bushy tail in the air like a flag.

The she-wolf looked at him in surprise. "Goodness, how can you feel so perky after the experience we have both gone through?"

The fox smiled slyly, "But, don’t you feel it? What they did was kick some sense into me!"

Then the fox added, "Farewell, dear Mrs. Wolf, may the kicking you have had do the same!"

The fox laughed heartily at her, and bounded off

The poor she-wolf lay down with her muzzle on her paws and waited for her sensible old aunt to come around from looking after her little wolf-cub, and tell her "I told you so!"

Based on Gossip Wolf and the Fox