Whatever her husband gave her to spin, she did not get done, and what she did spin she did not wind, but let it all remain entangled in a heap. If the man scolded her, she was always ready with her tongue, and said, well, how should I wind it, when I have no reel. Just you go into the forest and get me one. If that is all, said the man, then I will go into the forest, and get some wood for making reels. Then the woman was afraid that if he had the wood he would make her a reel of it, and she would have to wind her yarn off, and then begin to spin again. She bethought herself a little, and then a lucky idea occurred to her, and she secretly followed the man into the forest, and when he had climbed into a tree to choose and cut the wood, she crept into the thicket below where he could not see her, and cried, he who cuts wood for reels shall die, and he who winds, shall perish.
The man listened, laid down his axe for a moment, and began to consider what that could mean. Well, he said at last, what can that have been, my ears must have been singing, Iwon't alarm myself for nothing. So he once more seized the axe, and began to hew. Then again there came a cry from below, he who cuts wood for reels shall die, and he who winds, shall perish.
He stopped, and felt afraid and alarmed, and pondered over the circumstance. But when a few moments had passed, he took heart again, and a third time he stretched out his hand for the axe, and began to cut. But someone called out a third time, and said loudly, he who cuts wood for reels shall die, and he who winds, shall perish.
That was enough for him, and all inclination had departed from him, so he hastily descended the tree, and set out on his way home. The woman ran as fast as she could by byways so as to get home first. So when he entered the parlor, she put on an innocent look as if nothing had happened, and said, well, have you brought a nice piece of wood for reels. No, said he, I see very well that winding won't do, and told her what had happened to him in the forest, and from that time forth left her in peace about it. Neverthless after some time, the man again began to complain of the disorder in the house. Wife, said he, it is really a shame that the spun yarn should lie there all entangled. I'll tell you what, said she, as we still don't come by any reel, go you up into the loft, and Iwill stand down below, and will throw the yarn up to you, and you will throw it down to me, and so we shall get a skein after all. Yes, that will do, said the man. So they did that, and when it was done, he said, the yarn is in skeins, now it must be boiled. The woman was again distressed, and said, yes, we will boil it to-morrow morning early. But she was secretly contriving another trick.
Early in the morning she got up, lighted a fire, and put the kettle on, only instead of the yarn, she put in a lump of tow and let it boil. After that she went to the man who was still lying in bed, and said to him, I must just go out, you must get up and look after the yarn which is in the kettle on the fire, but you must be at hand at once, mind that, for if the cock should happen to crow, and you are not attending to the yarn, it will become tow. The man was willing and took good care not to loiter. He got up as quickly as he could, and went into the kitchen. But when he reached the kettle and peeped in, he saw, to his horror, nothing but a lump of tow. Then the poor man was as still as a mouse, thinking he had neglected it, and was to blame, and in future said no more about yarn and spinning. But you yourself must own that she was an odious woman.
A peasant had a faithful horse which had grown old and could do no more work, so his master would no longer give him anything to eat and said, I can certainly make no more use of you, but still I mean well by you, if you prove yourself still strong enough to bring me a lion here, I will maintain you, but now take yourself away out of my stable. And with that he chased him into the open country. The horse was sad, and went to the forest to seek a little protection there from the weather. Then the fox met him and said, why do you hang your head so, and go about all alone. Alas, replied the horse, avarice and fidelity do not dwell together in one house. My master has forgotten what services I have performed for him for so many years, and because I can no longer plough well, he will give me no more food, and has driven me out. Without giving you a chance, asked the fox.
The chance was a bad one. He said, if I were still strong enough to bring him a lion, he would keep me, but he well knows that I cannot do that. The fox said, I will help you, just lay yourself down, stretch yourself out as if you were dead, and do not stir. The horse did as the fox desired, and the fox went to the lion, who had his den not far off, and said, a dead horse is lying outside there, just come with me, you can have a rich meal. The lion went with him, and when they were both standing by the horse the fox said, after all, it is not very convenient for you here - I tell you what - Iwill fasten it to you by the tail, and then you can drag it into your cave, and devour it in peace.
This advice pleased the lion, he lay down, and in order that the fox might tie the horse fast to him, he kept quite quiet.
But the fox tied the lion's legs together with the horse's tail, and twisted and fastened all so well and so strongly that no strength could break it. When he had finished his work, he tapped the horse on the shoulder and said, pull, white horse, pull. Then up sprang the horse at once, and drew the lion away with him. The lion began to roar so that all the birds in the forest flew out in terror, but the horse let him roar, and drew him and dragged him over the country to his master's door. When the master saw the lion, he was of a better mind, and said to the horse, you shall stay with me and fare well, and he gave him plenty to eat until he died.
