nside of the tree, slowly, slowly; Antoine felt
turned to stone, so terrified was he, and hardly dared to breathe.
Suddenly an idea entered his mind, which he thought might save him
still. He remembered to have heard from his mother that a wolf could
neither bend his back nor turn his head, so as to look behind him, and
quick as lightning he stretched up his hand, and seizing the wolf's
tail, pulled it towards him.

Then he left the tree and dragged the animal to his mother's house.

'Mother, you have often declared that I was too stupid to catch a wolf
by the tail. Now see,' he cried triumphantly.

'Well, well, wonders will never cease,' answered the good woman, who
took care to keep at a safe distance. 'But as you really _have_ got him,
let us see if we can't put him to some use. Fetch the skin of the ram
which died last week out of the chest, and we will sew the wolf up in
it. He will make a splendid ram, and to-morrow we will drive him to the
fair and sell him.'

Very likely the wolf, who was cunning and clever, may have understood
what she said, but he thought it best to give no sign, and suffered the
skin to be sewn upon him.

'I can always get away if I choose,' thought he, 'it is better not to be
in a hurry'; so he remained quite still while the skin was drawn over
his head, which made him very hot and uncomfortable, and resisted the
temptation to snap off the fingers or noses that were so close to his
mouth.

* * * * *

The fair was at its height next day when Toueno-Boueno arrived with his
wolf in ram's clothing. All the farmers crowded round him, each offering
a higher price than the last. Never had they beheld such a beautiful
beast, said they, and at last, after much bargaining, he was handed over
to three brothers for a good sum of money.

[Illustration: He will make a Splendid Ram]

It happened that these three brothers owned large flocks of sheep,
though none so large and fine as the one they had just bought.

'My flock is the nearest,' observed the eldest brother; 'we will leave
him in the fold for the night, and to-morrow we will decide which
pastures will be best for him.' And the wolf grinned as he listened, and
held up his head a little higher than before.

Early next morning the young farmer began to go his rounds, and the
sheep-fold was the first place he visited. To his horror, the sheep were
all stretched out dead before him, except one, which the wolf