"Oh! it is an easy craft for you," answered the Fox, "and soon learned.
You've only to go upon the ice, cut a hole, stick your tail down into
it, and hold it there as long as you can. You're not to mind if your
tail smarts a little; that's when the fish bite. The longer you hold it
there the more fish you'll get; and then all at once out with it, with a
cross pull sideways, and with a strong pull too."
Yes, the Bear did as the Fox had said, and held his tail a long, long
time down in the hole, till it was frozen in fast. Then he pulled it out
with a cross pull, and it snapped short off. That's why Bruin goes about
with a stumpy tail to this very day.
REYNARD AND THE COCK
Once on a time there was a cock who stood on the barnyard fence and
crowed and flapped his wings. Then the fox came by.
"Good-day," said Reynard. "I have heard you crowing so nicely, but can
you stand on one leg and crow, and wink your eyes?"
"Oh, yes," said the cock, "I can do that very well." So he stood on one
leg and crowed, but he winked only with one eye, and when he had done
that he made himself big and flapped his wings, as though he had done a
great thing.
"Very pretty, to be sure," said Reynard. "Almost as pretty as when the
parson preaches in church, but can you stand on one leg and wink both
your eyes at once? I hardly think you can.
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