"Go to her," said the other, "and say that there is a young fox come, who wishes to marry her."
Then up went the cat,—trippety trap,
And knocked at the door,—tippety tap;
"Is good Mrs. Fox within?" said she.
"Alas! my dear, what want you with me?"
"There waits a suitor below at the gate."
Then said Mrs. Fox,
"How looks he, my dear! is he tall and straight?
Has he nine good tails? There must be nine,
Or he never shall be a suitor of mine."
"Ah!" said the cat, "he has but one." "Then I will never have him," answered Mrs. Fox.
So the cat went down, and sent this suitor about his business. Soon after, some one else knocked at the door; it was another fox that had two tails, but he was not better welcomed than the first. After this came several others, till at last one came that had really nine tails just like the old fox.
When the widow heard this, she jumped up and said,
"Now, Pussy, my dear, open windows and doors,
And bid all our friends at our wedding to meet;
And as for that nasty old master of ours,
Throw him out of the window, Puss, into the street."
But when the wedding feast was all ready, up sprang the old gentleman on a sudden, and taking a club drove the whole company, together with Mrs. Fox, out of doors.
After some time, however, the old fox really died; and soon
