Page:RussianFolkTales Afanasev 368pgs.djvu/274

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258
RUSSIAN FOLK-TALES

wings. One of them you put under you, and the other you put over you: that is how you pass the winter."

"But if you do not let us in," said the Goose, "I will pluck away all the moss from the walls, and you will be much colder!"

"What! won't you let me in?" said the Cock. "I will fly on to the garret and I will scatter all the earth from the roof, and you will be much colder."

Well, the Bull was beaten, and he was forced to admit the Goose and the Cock. In the warm hut the Cock crowed and began singing merry songs.

Now the Fox heard the Cock singing merry songs, and thought he would like to make such a dainty acquaintance, only he did not know how to.

So the Fox bethought himself of his wiles, and ran up to the Bear and the Wolf and said, "Now, my dear kinsmen, I have found food for all of us: a Bull for you, Mr. Bear, a Ram for you, Mr. Wolf, and a Cock for myself."

"What a capital fellow you are, Mr. Fox! said the Bear and the Wolf. "We shall never be oblivious of our services: let us kill and eat them."

So the Fox led them up to the little izbá.[1] When they reached the hut, the Bear said to the Wolf: "You go first."

But the Wolf said, "That would be altogether wrong—you must go first."

So then the Bear and the Wolf said to the Fox, "You must go first."

As the Fox went in, the Bull gored him with his horns to the wall, and the Ram sat on his flanks, and the Pig tore him to atoms, whilst the Goose flew on to him and picked out his eyes. But the Cock went and flew up to the girder and crowed, "Do come in, oh do, do, do!"

"Why is the Fox such a long time at work with the

  1. Hut.