g the old man heard someone knocking at the gate,
so he asked: "Who's there?" And the answer came: "It's I, the bear, come
to pay you my debt." And the old man opened the gate, and there was the
bear with a hive of honey he had brought. So the old man took the honey,
when again he heard knock-knock at the gate! "Who's there?" he asked,
and the answer came: "It's I, the wolf, come to pay you my debt." And
there was the wolf with a whole flock of sheep he had driven up. So the
old man let the sheep into the yard, when again he heard knock-knock at
the gate. "Who's there?" he asked, and the answer came: "It's I, the
fox, come to pay you my debt." And there was the fox with a whole
farm-yardful of cocks and hens, and ducks and geese. Suddenly there came
another knock-knock at the gate. "Who's there?" asked the old man, and
the answer came: "It's I, the hare, come to pay you my debt." And he had
brought with him a whole heap of cabbages. And the old man and his wife
began to live happily together, and always spoke well and kindly of
those beasts.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

THE FOX AND THE BLACKBIRD.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

A fox was walking through the forest when he fell into a deep hole. And
there he sat and sat, till all at once he began to feel hungry. He
started looking round, but could see nothing. Then he looked up, and
there he saw a blackbird in the tree above weaving its nest, and he
said: "Mr. Blackbird, Mr. Blackbird, what are you doing?" And the
blackbird answered: "I'm weaving my nest." "What are you weaving your
nest for?" asked the fox. "To bring up my children in," answered the
blackbird. "But I'm going to eat your children," said the fox. "Don't
eat my children," answered the blackbird. "Well then, feed me, I'm
hungry," said the fox. At that the blackbird began to fret and to worry:
how should he feed the fox? Then he flew off into the village, and
brought back a chicken for the fox.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

And the fox ate the chicken, and after a little he said: "Mr. Blackbird,
Mr. Blackbird, you fed me, didn't you?" And the blackbird answered:
"Yes." "Well then," said the fox, "give me a drink!" At that the
blackbird began to fret and to worry: how was he to get the fox a
drink? Then he flew off into the village, and brought back a little
pailful of water for the fox.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

And the fox had a go