And smote the door, rat-tata-tat!
“Pray, Mrs. Reynard, are you in?
Outside a wooer waits below !”’
‘Well, what ’s he like? I want to know. Has he got nine such beautiful tails as the late lamented Mr. Reynard?’
‘Oh dear no,’ answered the Cat. ‘He has only got one.’
‘Then I won’t have him.’
Mistress Cat went down, and sent the wooer away.
Soon after this there was knocking again, and another Fox appeared at the door, who wished to pay his addresses to Mrs. Reynard. He had two tails, but he came off no better than the first. Afterwards others came, each with one tail more; but they were all rejected, till at last one came that had nine tails like old Mr. Reynard.
When the widow heard this, full of joy, she said to the Cat—
Old Mr. Reynard turn adrift.’
But when the wedding was about to be celebrated, then old Mr. Reynard under the bank roused himself, and gave the whole crew a good drubbing, and sent them, Mrs. Reynard and all, helter-skelter out of the house.
Second Tale
When old Mr. Reynard really died, the Wolf came as a suitor, and knocked at the door, and the Cat who acted as servant to
Mrs. Reynard, opened it.The Wolf greeted her, and said—
How comes it that alone you sit?
What are you making there, so good?’
The Cat answered—
Will your Lordship have a sup?’
