Grimm's Household Tales

Once upon a time the fox was talking to the wolf about the strength of man: how no animal could withstand him, and how all were obliged to use cunning in order to protect themselves from him. Then the wolf answered, “If I only had the chance to see a man for once, I would attack him all the same.” “I can help you to do that,” said the fox. “Come to me early tomorrow morning, and I will show you one.” The wolf presented himself early, and the fox took him out on the road by which the huntsmen went every day. First came an old discharged soldier. “Is that a man?” asked the wolf. “No,” answered the fox, “that was one.” Afterward a little boy came who was going to school. “Is that a man?” “No, that is going to be one.” At length a hunter came with his double-barreled gun on his back and a short sword at his side. The fox said to the wolf, “Look, there comes a man. You must attack him, but I will take myself off to my hole.” The wolf then rushed at the man. When the huntsman saw him, he said, “It is a pity that I have not loaded with a bullet,” and he aimed and fired his small shot into the wolf’s face. The wolf made a very wry face but did not let himself be frightened and attacked him again, at which the huntsman gave him the second barrel. The wolf swallowed his pain and rushed at the huntsman, but the huntsman drew out his bright short sword and gave him a few cuts with it, right and left, so that, bleeding everywhere, the wolf ran howling back to the fox. “Well, brother wolf,” said the fox, “how did you get on with man?” “Ah!” replied the wolf, “I never imagined the strength of man to be what it is! First he took a stick from his shoulder and blew into it, and then something flew into my face that tickled me terribly. Then he breathed once more into the stick, and it flew into my nose like lightning and hail. When I was quite close, he drew a white rib out of his side, and he beat me so with it that I was all but left lying dead.” “See what a braggart you are!” said the fox. “You throw your hatchet so far that you cannot fetch it back again!”