THE She Ape said to the Fox,“Reynart Nephew, see that you take heed in your battle. Be cold and wise. Your Eme taught me once a prayer that is of much virtue to him that shall fight; and a great master and a wise clerk, and was abbot of Boudelo, that taught him, he said, who that said devoutly this prayer fasting shall not that day be overcome in battle nor in fighting. Therefore, dear Nephew, be not afraid, I shall read it over you to-morrow, then may you be sure enough of the Wolf. It is better to fight than to have the neck asunder.”
“I thank you, dear aunt,”said the Fox.“The quarrel that I have is rightful, therefore I hope I shall speed well, and that shall greatly be my help.”
All his lineage abode by him all the night and holp him to drive away the time.
Dame Rukenawe the She Ape, his aunt, thought alway on his profit and fordele. And she did all his hair from the head to the tail be shorn off smooth; and she anointed all his body with oil of olive; and then was his body also glat and slipper that the Wolf should have none hold on him. And he was round and fat also on his body.
And she said to him,“Dear cousin, you must now drink much that to-morrow you may the better make your urine; but you shall hold it in till you come to the field. And when need is and time, so shall you piss full your rough tail and smite the Wolf therewith in his beard. And if you might hit him therewith in his eyes, then shall you byneme him his sight. That should much hinder him. But else, hold alway your tail fast between your legs that he catch you not thereby; and hold down your ears lying plat after your head that he hold you not thereby; and see wisely to yourself. And at beginning flee from his strokes, and let him spring and run after you, and run before where as most dust is, and stir it with your feet that it may flee in his eyes, and that shall much hinder his sight. And while he rubs his eyes, take your advantage and smite and bite him there as you may most hurt him, and alway to hit him with your tail full of piss in his visage, and that shall make him so woe that he shall not wit where he is. And let him run after you for to make him weary. Yet his feet are sore of that you made him to lose his shoes, and though he be great he has no heart. Nephew, certainly this is my counsel. The connyng goes before strength; therefore see for yourself, and set yourself wisely at defence, that you and we all may have worship thereof. I would be sorry if you mishapped. I shall teach you the words that your Eme Martin taught me, that you may overcome your enemy, as I hope you shall do without doubt.”Therewith she laid her hand upon his head, and said these words:“Blaerde Shay Alphenio Kasbue Gorfons Alsbuifrio. Nephew, now be you sure from all mischief and dread. And I counsel you that you rest you a little, for it is by the day you shall be the better disposed; we shall awake you in all in time.”
“Aunt,”said the Fox,“I am now glad. God thank you, you have done to me such good I can never deserve it fully again. Methinks there may nothing hurt me since that you have said these holy words over me.”
Tho went he and laid him down under a tree in the grass, and slept till the sun was risen. Tho came the Otter and waked him, and bade him arise, and gave him a good young duck and said,“Dear cousin, I have this night made many a leap in the water ere I could get this young fat duck. I have taken it from a fowler. Take and eat it.”
Reynart said,“This is good handsel. If I refused I were a fool. I thank you, cousin, that you remember me. If I live I shall reward you.”
The Fox ate the duck without sauce or bread. It savoured him well, and went well in. And he drank thereto four great draughts of water. Then went he to the battle ward, and all they that loved him went with him.
母猴對(duì)狐說道:“列那侄兒,你在決斗時(shí)必須留心,要冷靜機(jī)警。你的叔叔,告訴過我一首禱詞,在戰(zhàn)前唱禱極有效力。他說,誰要虔誠地念著禱詞,那日出戰(zhàn),必定不會(huì)為人所敗。明早,我要為你禱念——那么,你一定可以勝了狼了。決斗總比絞死好。”
狐道:“我謝你,親愛的嬸母。這次決斗,我是對(duì)的——所以我希望能有公道的結(jié)局。”
這一夜,所有他的親友都來陪伴他。
母猴綠克娜夫人常常為他的福利著想。她把他的毛發(fā)弄得光順;她用橄欖油擦他的全身;如此,他的身體是又光又滑,狼不能握住了他,他的身體真是胖,直成了圓圓的。
她對(duì)他道:“好侄兒,你現(xiàn)在可以多喝些,決斗時(shí)格外有精神。時(shí)候到了時(shí),你可以用你松散的尾巴打他,如果你能打到他的眼睛,他便看不清東西,更容易贏他了。但以后,你的尾巴須常夾在兩腿間,使他不至捉住你;你的兩只耳朵也須平貼在頭上,使他不會(huì)握??;處處須自己留心。開頭你逃避他的打擊,叫他跳著跑著追你;你要跑到多灰土的地方用足把灰土撥飛起來,使它飛到他眼中,益發(fā)使他看不清東西。當(dāng)他去擦眼時(shí),你卻窺便盡力打他;常常用你的尾巴打他的臉。引他追隨你后面,要使他疲倦。他的足還創(chuàng)痛著,且他雖然強(qiáng)大有力,卻絲毫沒有心計(jì)。侄兒,我的話就是如此。技巧勝過強(qiáng)力。所以你自己留心,機(jī)警防護(hù)自己,你和我們便都可以得最后的榮譽(yù)了。如果你失敗了,我真要憂愁不已!侄兒,現(xiàn)在你放寬了心去休息,我們會(huì)叫醒你的?!?/p>
狐道:“嬸母,我現(xiàn)在快活了,上帝謝你!你如此看待我,我下次真不配再受你的了?!?/p>
于是他去躺在一株樹下的綠草上睡了,一直睡到太陽升上來時(shí)才醒來。于是水獺來叫醒他,給他一只胖小鴨吃,說道:“好兄弟,我昨夜跳入水中許多次,才得到這只胖小鴨。這是從一個(gè)養(yǎng)鴨人那里捉來的,拿去吃了吧?!?/p>
列那道:“這真是好賜品。如果我拒絕了,我必是一個(gè)傻子了。我謝謝你。兄弟,你還記念住我。如果我活著,我將報(bào)答你?!?/p>
狐吃了鴨,沒有湯也沒有面包。這鴨很好吃,他還喝了四大口水。然后他到?jīng)Q斗場上去,所有愛他的,全都跟了他去。
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