Brave Old Brum. 113 some sick person who was dying, for he travelled so fast, and he was driving in a common sledge." — In a while the farmer met the fox, " Have you seen any horse and sledge ? " asked the farmen— " Yes," answered Reynard, " but old Brum sat on the sledge and drove just as if he had stolen both horse and turn-out." — " Bad luck to him, the rascal ! " said the farmer. " I suppose he will drive my horse to death." — " If he does, take and skin him and roast him on the cinders," said Reynard ; " but if you should get your horse back again, you might give me a ride over the mountain one day ; I have such a mmd to try what it's like to have four legs before me."- — " What will you give for the lift ? " asked the farmer. — " Oh, anything you like, wet or dry," said the fox; "you'll always get as much out of me as of old Brum, for he is generally a rough fellow to deal with, when he goes a-driving and sticks to the horse's back."—" Well, yes ! you shall have a lift over the mountain," said the farmer, " if you'U meet me here to-morrow about this time." He guessed that Reynard was going to make a fool of him and play off some of his tricks upon him ; so he took a loaded gun with him in the sledge next day, and when Reynard came, thinking to get the drive promised him for nothing, he got a charge of shot in his body. The farmer flayed him as he had the bear. and so he had both bear-skin and fox-skin.
