ere comes a hare,' said the Musician; 'I've not the smallest
desire for his company.'

'How beautifully you play, dear Mr. Fiddler,' said the little Hare. 'I
wish I could learn how you do it.'

'It's easily learnt,' answered the Musician; 'just do exactly as I tell
you.'

'That I will,' said the Hare, 'you will find me a most attentive pupil.'

They went on a bit together, till they came to a thin part of the wood,
where they found an aspen tree growing. The Musician bound a long cord
round the little Hare's neck, the other end of which he fastened to the
tree.

'Now, my merry little friend,' said the Musician, 'run twenty times
round the tree.'

The little Hare obeyed, and when it had run twenty times round the tree,
the cord had twisted itself twenty times round the trunk, so that the
poor little beast was held a fast prisoner, and it might bite and tear
as much as it liked, it couldn't free itself, and the cord only cut its
tender neck.

'Wait there till I return,' said the Musician, and went on his way.

In the meantime the Wolf had pulled and bitten and scratched at the
stone, till at last he succeeded in getting his paws out. Full of anger,
he hurried after the Musician, determined when he met him to tear him
to pieces. When the Fox saw him running by, he called out as loud as he
could:

'Brother Wolf, come to my rescue, the Musician has deceived me too.'

The Wolf pulled the branches down, bit the cord in two, and set the Fox
free. So they went on their way together, both vowing vengeance on the
Musician. They found the poor imprisoned little Hare, and having set him
free also, they all set out to look for their enemy.

During this time the Musician had once more played his fiddle, and had
been more fortunate in the result. The sounds pierced to the ears of a
poor woodman, who instantly left his work, and with his hatchet under
his arm came to listen to the music.

'At last I've got a proper sort of companion,' said the Musician, 'for
it was a human being I wanted all along, and not a wild animal.'

And he began playing so enchantingly that the poor man stood there as if
bewitched, and his heart leapt for joy as he listened.

And as he stood thus, the Wolf and Fox and little Hare came up, and the
woodman saw at once that they meant mischief. He lifted his glittering
axe and placed himself in front of the Musician, as much as to say: 'If
you touch a hair of his head, beware, for you will have to a