ly from out of the thick wood, from out of the dark forest, a grey
hare came running and ran right up against the ox. "What sort of beast
are you?" he asked. "I'm the three-year-old ox, all made of straw and
smeared over with pitch." Then the hare said: "Well then, give me some
pitch to rub on my side." "Take some!" answered the ox. And the hare
caught hold of him with his teeth, when lo and behold! his teeth stuck
fast. He tore and tore, but couldn't tear them free. And the old woman
woke up, and ran to fetch her husband, and said: "Come as quick as you
can, there's a hare stuck to the ox!" And the old man came, took the
hare and flung him into the cellar. Then the old man began to grind his
knife, and the bear heard him and asked: "What are you grinding your
knife for?" And he answered: "I'm grinding my knife to take the skin off
your back and make myself a fur coat out of it." But the bear said: "Oh!
don't take the skin off my back! Better let me go free, and I'll repay
you handsomely." "Well, mind you do!" answered the old man, and so he
let the bear go free, and he ran off into the forest.

[Illustration]

The next day the old man again began to grind his knife outside the
cellar, and the wolf asked him: "What are you grinding your knife for?"
And he answered: "I'm grinding my knife to take the skin off your back
and make myself a fur coat out of it." But the wolf said: "Oh! don't
take the skin off my back! Better let me go free, and I'll repay you
handsomely." "Well, mind you do!" answered the old man, and so he let
the wolf too go free. And again he began to grind his knife outside the
cellar, and the fox asked him: "What are you grinding your knife for?"
And he answered: "I'm grinding my knife to take the skin off your back,
and make myself out of it a collar for my fur coat." But the fox said:
"Oh! don't take the skin off my back! Better let me go free, and I'll
repay you handsomely." "Well, mind you do!" answered he.

[Illustration]

Then the hare was left all alone.

And again the old man began to grind his knife, and the hare asked him:
"What are you grinding your knife for?" And he answered: "I'm grinding
my knife to take the skin off your back, and make myself some fur gloves
out of it." But the hare said: "Oh! don't take the skin off my back!
Better let me go free, and I'll repay you handsomely." "Well, mind you
do!" he answered, and let the hare too go free.

[Illustration]

Early the next mornin