I was born in a retired spot, along with four brothers and sisters. Our mother had made a nice soft bed of moss, in a hole which she had scooped in the side of a steep bank; and a comfortable dwelling it was. As soon as we were weaned, our parents supplied us with good food,—sometimes young hares, partridges, and such dainty provisions. Occasionally we had mice, which we did not relish quite so much; but our mother used to say, that we must accustom ourselves to every thing, for the time might perhaps come when we should be glad of even a mouse to make a meal of. We grew apace, and as the den soon became too small for us, we tried to escape out of our dwelling. But our parents strictly forbade this; saying, that nothing but dangers awaited us; but that, as soon as we were old enough, they would take us to a place of greater security.
A Fox’s Adventures (first plate)
 
Alas! it happened to us as to many other children, who will not obey their parents, but think themselves the wiser. Early one May morning, the sun shone in so brightly at the mouth of our hole, that we longed to know what it was to be outside; and, as soon as our parents had set out upon their hunting excursion, to bring provision for us, we slipped out softly, and jumped and tumbled about on the open sandy space in front of our cave, enjoying ourselves much, and hastening in as soon as we thought papa and mamma Fox would be coming back again.

We went on in this way for a long time, without being found out; but one day, while we were chasing a mouse in front of the den, and tumbling head over heels in great delight, we observed something looking at us through the bushes, which we concluded must be the face of a man. We hurried back into the den immediately, terribly frightened, and were right glad when we neither saw nor heard any more of the creature; little guessing, that from that moment our fate was decided. For, the very next morning, when father and mother were gone out as usual, we heard footsteps and voices; and, before we were aware, a savage, crooked-legged dog entered the den, barking very loud. Our agony was extreme. We drew back into the farthest corner of the den, barking as loud as we could:[106] but this did not in the least deter our enemy; for, encouraged by the men, he seized hold of the foremost of us.

Despair will inspire the weakest with courage. We flew at our black foe, and scratched him so much, that he was obliged to draw back. Now we thought that the danger was over; but, alas! the greatest was to come, and from an unexpected quarter. How could we guess that the dog was sent into the den to find if we were still within, and where the cave ended! For one of the hunters had laid himself down with his ear to the ground, and listened as the dog barked; after which they began to dig a hole, and we listened in deadly fear to the strokes of the spade and pickaxe, as they came nearer to us. They had soon broken through; and, as all resistance was vain, we could do nothing better than bury our heads deep in the sand. Then a man stretched his arm down to us, drew one after another by the tail, and struck each one upon the back of his head with a club, so that he died immediately. I was the last, whom he pulled up with a cruel shout. He had raised his staff for the deadly blow, when a man, passing by, cried to him, “Hold! friend, just let me look at that little animal.” He looked in my face, and then added, “I wish you would give me that little Fox: I could make him useful!” “What!” replied[107] my murderous captor, “would you bring him up to steal your cocks and hens? He will be true to his nature.” “No,” said the stranger, “I will make him useful to me in my trade.” “Well, then, take him;” and the man held me, while the other opened a great leathern pocket, into which I was popped; and thus he carried me to his dwelling in the city.

“Look here,” said my new master to his wife, jokingly, “what a pretty, sharp-nosed little dog I have met with!” as he drew me out of his pocket. “He shall learn by and by to blow the bellows.” The man was a locksmith, and had a wheel fixed to his bellows, in which a dog, by running round set the bellows in motion. But a short time before my capture, the dog had died; and the man was glad to have me, rather than a dog, for which he would have to pay an annual tax. I had a small collar put on to which a chain was fastened, and the other end secured to the dog-kennel. He brought me food and water: I quenched my thirst, but I was too much afraid and sorrowful to eat at first, until compelled by hunger. I was kindly treated: the man would stop as he went to or returned from his work, and stroke and feed me from his hand. “How goes it, little Foxy?” he would say: “thou wilt soon be able to help me in my business.” After a while he showed me the wheel, made me ascend into[108] it, and taught me how to run. I was glad to be in motion, after so long a confinement. I soon understood my office, and took pleasure in the work. When he was not smithying, I was allowed to rest; and then I amused myself by watching him at his filing and hammering, making large and small locks and keys. I could not complain of my treatment; for I was well fed, and always had my plate of meat not far from the wheel. But yet two circumstances troubled me. Liberty was not mine. Could I ever forget that I had once enjoyed freedom? I longed for the woods, the mountains, the sunny knolls, where my race wander so merrily about.

I had also an enemy in the person of a neighbor’s old, grizzly, red tom-cat, an envious, spiteful, and greedy animal. He would sit for hours in a gap of the wall, eyeing me with apparent indifference, as I went round and round at my work; but, if my master turned his back, if but for a moment, he was instantly down upon the spot, stole the best bits out of my dish, and was back again as swift as a bird could fly. He also plundered my master’s kitchen in various ways; and, as I was sometimes allowed to run about at liberty in the house, I was suspected of the thievery, and received the beating.
A Fox’s Adventures (second plate)

I was even with my enemy at last, and, moreover,[109] against his will, he procured me my liberty, though but for a short time.

One day, when the master was absent, I felt very well and lively, and jumped merrily about in my wheel, and blew the bellows till the sparks began to fly. Then I sat down to enjoy my dinner. The cat came near, and contrary to custom, began to converse with me:—“Fox, you are merry; I wish I was so too: you seem happier in your work, than I in my sleepy dreaming on the wall.” “Yes,” I replied, “that is quite true. You see that I earn abundance of food by turning this wheel for my good master; and I may leap and jump about in it to my heart’s content. Just come up to me for once,” continued I, “and I will show you how merrily it runs.” So the cat ascended, and we shook the wheel awhile, which pleased the old fellow very well; then I invited him to sit down and eat; for I had a nice leg-bone of mutton left, and he found it quite to his taste.

When he had done, the old cat said, “Fox, that thing pleaseth me. I should like to learn thy trade, and then I can seek out a master. Wilt thou teach me?” “With pleasure,” I answered: “only put on my collar, and run on boldly in the wheel, you will learn quickly.” “Well, I will try,” said the cat. But first we had to get the collar off my neck, and it cost us some trouble.[110] “Look!” said I: “this thing which hangs upon the collar is called a lock, and that thing which hangs upon the nail there, is called a key. Now, if you put the key into the hole in the lock, and turn it round, the lock will slip off, and the collar will be unfastened; then I can draw it off, and put it on you.” The cat fetched the key, and after many trials, at last managed to put it into the lock properly. “Now,” said I, “take the key between your teeth, and turn it round.” This he did easily; and, when he had drawn the padlock out of the ring of the collar, I trembled for joy. I quickly put the collar upon the cat, however, and turned the key in the padlock. “There,” said I, “now take care to run steadily, and you will find what a merry business it is. Good bye! cat;” and then I sprang through the open window.

“Stop! stop!” cried the cat, terrified; and he tried to spring after me, but found himself held back by the chain which was fastened to the collar; and I heard how he tugged in vain, and mewed pitifully.

But whoever diggeth a ditch for another, is pretty certain to fall into one himself. This proverb was verified in my case; for scarcely had I gained the street, when I was observed by a dog; which chased me so quickly, that I had but little hope of saving myself from his teeth. By chance I took the direction of the[111] market-place, in the middle of which there was a wooden booth, where there were apes, and parrots swinging on long sticks, outside, and a great brown bear kept guard at the entrance. “Brother bear,” I cried, out of breath, “take me under thy protection!” “Just jump in here,” said the bear kindly, and showed me the opening. I did so, and was saved from my enemy; but, to my great astonishment and terror, only to fall into th............