hird road. At
last when he began to feel hungry, he sat down by the wayside and opened
his wallet. Instantly the same Little Lame Fox came limping up and
whimpered and fawned and begged for something to eat.

"You poor little creature," Janko said, "are you hungry?"

He held out his hand coaxingly and the animal gave it a timid sniff.

"Of course I'll give you something to eat," Janko said. "There's enough
for both of us."

With that he divided his bread and cheese and gave the Little Fox half.
Then they ate together and the Little Fox allowed Janko to pat her head.

When they finished eating the Fox sat up on her haunches and said:

"Now, Janko, tell me about yourself. Who are you and where are you
going?"

The Fox seemed such a sensible little person that it didn't surprise
Janko in the least to have her sit up and talk. Janko's brothers would
have said that he hadn't sense enough to be surprised. But he had a good
heart, Janko had, and as you'll soon hear a good heart is a much better
guide for conduct than wicked brains.

Janko answered the Fox simply and truthfully. He told about his father
and his two brothers and about his father's weeping eye and the Magic
Grape-Vine for which he and his brothers were gone in search.

"You've been good to me," the Little Fox said. "You've shared your bread
with me and that makes us friends. So from now on if you'll be a brother
to me, I'll be a little sister to you."

Goodness knows Janko's own brothers weren't very good to him, but Janko
understood what the Little Fox meant and he agreed.

"Well then, brother," the Fox said, "I know where that Grape-Vine is and
I'm going to help you to get it. If you do just as I say I don't believe
you'll have any trouble. Now take hold of my tail and away we'll go."

So Janko took hold of the Little Fox's tail and sure enough away they
went. Whether they sailed through the air or just ran fleetly along the
ground I don't know. But I do know that they went a great distance and
that when they stopped Janko didn't feel in the least tired or
breathless.

"Now, my brother," the Little Fox said, "listen carefully to what I tell
you. The king of this country has a wonderful garden. In the midst of it
your father's Grape-Vine is planted. We are close to the garden now. It
is protected by twelve watches each of which is composed of twelve
guards. To get to the Grape-Vine you will have to pass them all. Now as
you approach each watch loo