FIRST STORY
There was once upon a time an old fox with nine tails, who believed that his wife was not faithful to him, and wished to put her to the test. He stretched himself out under the bench, did not move a limb, and behaved as if he were stone dead. Mrs Fox went up to her room, shut herself in, and her maid, Miss Cat,sat by the fire, and did the cooking. When it became known that the old fox was dead, suitors presented themselves. The maid heard someone standing at the house-door, knocking. She went and opened it, and it was a young fox, who said:
\\u0027What may you be about, Miss Cat?
Do you sleep or do you wake?\\u0027
She answered:
\\u0027I am not sleeping, I am waking,
Would you know what I am making?
I am boiling warm beer with butter,
Will you be my guest for supper?\\u0027
\\u0027No, thank you, miss,\\u0027 said the fox, \\u0027what is Mrs Fox doing?\\u0027 The maid replied:
\\u0027She is sitting in her room,
Moaning in her gloom,
Weeping her little eyes quite red,
Because old Mr Fox is dead.\\u0027
\\u0027Do just tell her, miss, that a young fox is here, who would like to woo her.\\u0027 \\u0027Certainly, young sir.\\u0027
The cat goes up the stairs trip, trap,
The door she knocks at tap, tap, tap,
\\u0027Mistress Fox, are you inside?\\u0027
\\u0027Oh, yes, my little cat,\\u0027 she cried.
\\u0027A wooer he stands at the door out there.\\u0027
\\u0027What does he look like, my dear?\\u0027
\\u0027Has he nine as beautiful tails as the late Mr Fox?\\u0027\\u0027Oh, no,\\u0027 answered the cat, \\u0027he has only one.\\u0027 \\u0027Then I will not have him.\\u0027