ood where the enemy's troops were, and at last hid himself under a leaf
on a tree close by.

The Bear, who was standing so near the tree that the gnat could hear all
he said, called to the fox and said, "Reynard, you are the cleverest of
all the beasts; therefore you shall be our leader and go before us to
battle; but we must first agree upon some signal, by which we may know
what you want us to do."

"Behold," said the fox, "I have a fine long, bushy tail, which is very
like a plume of red feathers, and gives me a very warlike air. Now
remember, when you see me raise up my tail, you may be sure that the
battle is won, and you have then nothing to do but to rush down upon the
enemy with all your force. On the other hand, if I drop my tail, the
battle is lost, and you must run away as fast as you can."

Now when the gnat had heard all this, she flew back to the Tomtit and
told him everything that had passed.

At length the day came when the battle was to be fought. As soon as it
was light, the army of beasts came rushing forward with such a fearful
sound that the earth shook. King Tomtit, with his troops, came flying
along also in warlike array, flapping and fluttering, and beating the
air, so that it was quite frightful to hear; and both armies set
themselves in order of battle upon the field.

Now the Tomtit gave orders to a troop of wasps that at the first onset
they should march straight toward Captain Reynard and fixing themselves
about his tail, should sting him with all their might. The wasps did as
they were told; and when Reynard felt the first sting, he started aside
and shook one of his legs, but still held up his tail with wonderful
bravery. At the second sting he was forced to drop his tail for a
moment; but when the third wasp had fixed itself, he could bear it no
longer, and clapped his tail between his legs, and ran away as fast as
he could.

As soon as the beasts saw this, they thought of course all was lost,
and raced across the country away to their holes.

Then the king and queen of the birds flew back in joy to their children,
and said: "Now, children, eat, drink, and be merry, for we have won the
battle!"

But the young birds said: "No; not till Bruin has humbly begged our
pardon for calling us base-born."

So the king flew back to the bear's den, and cried out:

"Thou villain bear! come forthwith to my nest, and humbly ask my
children to forgive the insult thou hast offered them. If tho