is out on the nut-hill; she has swallowed a big nut, and is choking.’
The Well answered, ‘First you must run to my Bride, and tell her to give you some red silk.’
Chanticleer ran to the Bride, and said, ‘Bride, Bride, give me some red silk: I will give the silk to the Well, and the Well will give me some water to take to Partlet, for she has swallowed a big nut, and is choking.’
The Bride answered, ‘Run first and fetch me a wreath which I left hanging on a willow.’
So Chanticleer ran to the willow, pulled the wreath off the branch, and brought it to the Bride. The Bride gave him the red silk, which he took to the Well, and the Well gave him the water for it. Then Chanticleer took the water to Partlet; but as it happened she had choked in the meantime, and lay there dead and stiff. Chanticleer’s grief was so great that he cried aloud, and all the animals came and condoled with him.
Six mice built a little car to draw Partlet to the grave; and when the car was ready they harnessed themselves to it, and drew Partlet away.
On the way, Reynard the fox joined them. ‘Where are you going, Chanticleer?’
‘I’m going to bury my wife, Partlet.’
‘May I go with you?’
A weight in front, my nags can’t pull.’
So the Fox took a seat at the back, and he was followed by the wolf, the bear, the stag, the lion, and all the other animals of the forest. The procession went on, till they came to a stream.
‘How shall we ever get over?’ said Chanticleer.
A Straw was lying by the stream, and it said, ‘I will stretch myself across, and then you can pass over upon me.’
But when the six mice got on to the Straw it collapsed, and the mice fell into the water with it, and they were all drowned.