The Wolf and the Man

by The Brothers Grimm

　　

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Once on a time the fox was talking to the wolf of the strength of man;how no animal could withstand him, and how all were obliged to employcunning in order to preserve themselves from him. Then the wolf answered,"If I had but the chance of seeing a man for once, I would set on himnotwithstanding." "I can help thee to do that," said the fox. "Cometo me early to-morrow morning, and I will show thee one." The wolfpresented himself betimes, and the fox took him out on the road by whichthe huntsmen went daily. First came an old discharged soldier. "Isthat a man?" inquired the wolf. "No," answered the fox, "that wasone." Afterwards came a little boy who was going to school. "Is thata man?" "No, that is going to be one." At length came a hunter with hisdouble-barrelled gun at his back, and hanger by his side. Said the foxto the wolf, "Look, there comes a man, thou must attack him, but I willtake myself off to my hole." The wolf then rushed on the man. When thehuntsman saw him he said, "It is a pity that I have not loaded with abullet," aimed, and fired his small shot in his face. The wolf pulleda very wry face, but did not let himself be frightened, and attackedhim again, on which the huntsman gave him the second barrel. The wolfswallowed his pain, and rushed on the huntsman, but he drew out hisbright hanger, and gave him a few cuts with it right and left, so that,bleeding everywhere, he ran howling back to the fox. "Well, brother wolf,"said the fox, "how hast thou got on with man?" "Ah!" replied the wolf,"I never imagined the strength of man to be what it is! First, he took astick from his shoulder, and blew into it, and then something flew intomy face which tickled me terribly; then he breathed once more into thestick, and it flew into my nose like lightning and hail; when I wasquite close, he drew a white rib out of his side, and he beat me sowith it that I was all but left lying dead." "See what a braggart thouart!" said the fox. "Thou throwest thy hatchet so far that thou canstnot fetch it back again!"

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