at there
are other cats in the world."

With that the dog threw his tail over his back, and set off to his
mistress with a gay face on the matter.

Now the fox heard the dog talking thus to himself, for the fox was
always peeping about, in holes and corners, and he burst out a laughing
when the dog was out of sight.

"Ho, ho, my fine fellow!" said he; "not so fast, if you please: you've
got the fox for a rival, let me tell you."

The fox, as you very well know, is a beast that can never do anything
without a manoeuvre; and as, from his cunning, he was generally very
lucky in anything he undertook, he did not doubt for a moment that he
should put the dog's nose out of joint. Reynard was aware that in
love one should always, if possible, be the first in the field; and he
therefore resolved to get the start of the dog and arrive before him
at the cat's residence. But this was no easy matter; for though Reynard
could run faster than the dog for a little way, he was no match for
him in a journey of some distance. "However," said Reynard, "those
good-natured creatures are never very wise; and I think I know already
what will make him bait on his way."

With that, the fox trotted pretty fast by a short cut in the woods, and
getting before the dog, laid himself down by a hole in the earth, and
began to howl most piteously.

The dog, hearing the noise, was very much alarmed. "See now," said he,
"if the poor fox has not got himself into some scrape! Those cunning
creatures are always in mischief; thank Heaven, it never comes into my
head to be cunning!" And the good-natured animal ran off as hard as he
could to see what was the matter with the fox.

"Oh, dear!" cried Reynard; "what shall I do? What shall I do? My poor
little sister has fallen into this hole, and I can't get her out; she'll
certainly be smothered." And the fox burst out a howling more piteously
than before.

"But, my dear Reynard," quoth the dog, very simply, "why don't you go in
after your sister?"

"Ah, you may well ask that," said the fox; "but, in trying to get in,
don't you perceive that I have sprained my back and can't stir? Oh,
dear! what shall I do if my poor little sister is smothered!"

"Pray don't vex yourself," said the dog; "I'll get her out in an
instant." And with that he forced himself with great difficulty into the
hole.

Now, no sooner did the fox see that the dog was fairly in, than he
rolled a great stone to the mouth of the hol