upper hand and come off victor, generously granting life to his
foe, whom he had nearly torn and scratched to pieces. Reynard, having thus
won the victory, enjoyed the plaudits of the crowd, while the wolf, being
vanquished, was publicly derided, and borne off by his few remaining
friends to be nursed back to health, if possible.

"Such is ever the way of the world. They say to the lucky,
'Long may you live in good health,' and friends he finds in abundance.
When, however, ill fortune befalls him, alone he must bear it.
Even so was it here; each one of them wish'd to the victor
Nearest to be, to show himself off."

[Sidenote: Reynard's acquittal.] The king pronounced Reynard guiltless of
all charges, and made him one of his privy councilors. But the fox, after
thanking the king for his favors, humbly besought permission to return
home, where his wife was awaiting him, and departed, escorted by a
deputation of his friends.

According to some versions of the tale, Reynard contented himself with
blinding the wolf and maiming him for life; according to others, he bided
his time, and when the king was ill, told him that nothing could save him
short of the heart of a wolf just seven years old. Of course no wolf of the
exact age could be found but Isegrim, so he was sacrificed to save the
king, who recovered. As for Reynard, he enjoyed great honor as long as he
lived, and his adventures have long been the delight of the people, whom
his tricks never failed to amuse.

"Highly honor'd is Reineke now! To wisdom let all men
Quickly apply them, and flee what is evil, and reverence virtue!
This is the end and aim of the song, and in it the poet
Fable and truth hath mixed, whereby the good from the evil
Ye may discern, and wisdom esteem; and thereby the buyers
Of this book in the ways of the world may be daily instructed.
For it was so created of old, and will ever remain so.
Thus is our poem of Reineke's deeds and character ended.
May God bring us all to eternal happiness. Amen!"

CHAPTER IV.

THE NIBELUNGENLIED.

[Sidenote: Origin of Poem.] Germany's greatest epic is, without doubt, the
ancient poem entitled "Nibelungenlied," or the "Lay," "Fall," or "Calamity
of the Nibelungs." Although nothing certain is known concerning the real
authorship of this beautiful work, it is supposed to have been put into its
present form either by the Austrian minstrel von