Pagina 42 de 274

A Stag, chased from his lair by the hounds, took refuge in a

farmyard, and, entering a stable where a number of oxen were

stalled, thrust himself under a pile of hay in a vacant stall,

where he lay concealed, all but the tips of his horns. Presently

one of the Oxen said to him, "What has induced you to come in

here? Aren't you aware of the risk you are running of being

captured by the herdsmen?" To which he replied, "Pray let me stay

for the present. When night comes I shall easily escape under

cover of the dark." In the course of the afternoon more than one

of the farm-hands came in, to attend to the wants of the cattle,

but not one of them noticed the presence of the Stag, who

accordingly began to congratulate himself on his escape and to

express his gratitude to the Oxen. "We wish you well," said the

one who had spoken before, "but you are not out of danger yet.