“It is forbidden,” says the fox.  “Cat Ivanovitch will be raging angry with me if I let any one come near him.  Presently he will be taking his food.  Get along with you quickly; make ready an ox, and bring it by way of welcome to him.  The wolf is bringing a sheep.  And look you.  Leave the ox near by, and hide yourself so that the great Cat Ivanovitch shall not see you; or else, brother, things may be awkward.”

The bear shambled off as fast as he could go to get an ox.

The pretty young fox, enjoying the fresh air of the forest, went slowly home to her earth, and crept in very quietly, so as not to awake the great Head-forester, Cat Ivanovitch, who had only one ear and was sleeping in the best place.

Presently the wolf came through the forest, dragging a sheep he had killed.  He did not dare to go too near the fox’s earth, because of Cat Ivanovitch, the new Head-forester.  So he stopped, well out of sight, and stripped off the skin of the sheep, and arranged the sheep so as to seem a nice tasty morsel.  Then he stood still, thinking what to do next.  He heard a noise, and looked up.  There was the bear, struggling along with a dead ox.

“Good-day, brother Michael Ivanovitch,” says the wolf.

“Good-day, brother Levon Ivanovitch,” says the bear.  “Have you seen the fox, Lisabeta Ivanovna, with her husband, the Head-forester?”

“No, brother,” says the wolf.  “For a long time I have been waiting to see them.”

“Go on and call out to them,” says the bear.

“No, Michael Ivanovitch,” says the wolf, “I will not go.  Do you go; you are bigger and bolder than I.”

“No, no, Levon Ivanovitch, I will not go.  There is no use in risking one’s life without need.”

Suddenly, as they were talking, a little hare came running by.  The bear saw him first, and roared out,—­

“Hi, Squinteye! trot along here.”

The hare came up, slowly, two steps at a time, trembling with fright.

“Now then, you squinting rascal,” says the bear, “do you know where the fox lives, over there?”

“I know, Michael Ivanovitch.”

“Get along there quickly, and tell her that Michael Ivanovitch the bear and his brother Levon Ivanovitch the wolf have been ready for a long time, and have brought presents of a sheep and an ox, as greetings to his Excellency ...”

“His Excellency, mind,” says the wolf; “don’t forget.”

The hare ran off as hard as he could go, glad to have escaped so easily.  Meanwhile the wolf and the bear looked about for good places in which to hide.

“It will be best to climb trees,” says the bear.  “I shall go up to the top of this fir.”

“But what am I to do?” says the wolf.  “I can’t climb a tree for the life of me.  Brother Michael, Brother Michael, hide me somewhere or other before you climb up.  I beg you, hide me, or I shall certainly be killed.”

“Crouch down under these bushes,” says the bear, “and I will cover you with the dead leaves.”