reckless fellow treated yesterday Lampe the
Hare; here Lampe stands, a man whom none
of us would injure. Reineke played the
saint and was his chaplain, and they sat
together to begin the Credo; but the Fox
could not forget his tricks, and clawed our
honourable friend here spitefully. I came by,
knew Reineke at once, and he had Lampe by
the throat. My presence saved the pious
man; look at his wounds,—Lampe, whom
nobody would harm. And will the King,
and will the noble barons, permit a thief to
scoff at law and justice ? O that he were
dead!—said Isegrim. But Reineke's nephew,
the Badger, spoke for his absent friend:
Enemies rarely wish well to each other, Sir
Isegrim. We know, your thoughts of my
uncle. Ah! were he here to speak for
himself, and teach you repentance! As for
the child's tale about the Hare: Shall the
master not chastise the pupil, when he
stumbles at his lesson? What would
become of youth if errors passed unpunished?
Then Wackerlos complains about his morsel
of sausage, which he lost behind a hedge.
Easy come, easy go. He should have held
his tongue. Who blames my uncle if he
removed stolen goods from the thief's
premises? Men of high birth ought to be
terrible to thieves. But little thanks my
uncle gets for being just and pious. Since
the king's peace has been proclaimed, none
have behaved as he does. He has changed his
life, eats only once a day, lives like a hermit,
chastises himself, wears sackcloth, abstains
totally from flesh, as I was told yesterday by
one who has been with him. He has left his
castle Malepartus to live in a cell. How thin
he is, how pale from fasting and mortification,
which he penitently suffers, you may learn
for yourselves. Let him come hither to
cast down his accusers.

Grimbart having concluded, there marched
in Henning the Cock, Henning with all his
race. Upon a mournful bier was carried,
without head or neck, a hen, Scratchfoot, the
best of the egg-laying sisters. Ah, her blood
flowed, and it was Reineke who shed it!
All shall be told the King. With the bold
Henning, sharing his despair, came two Cocks,
plunged in sorrow; Cryant and Cantart,
brothers of the murdered lady. Each bore a
light, and both cried woe upon the murderer.
Two younger Cocks carried the bier; their
lamentation could be heard afar. Then
Kenning spoke:—Most gracious lord and king,
have pity upon me, and on my children. See
Reineke's work! When the spring budded I
rejoiced over a prosperous and cheerful family,
ten young sons and fourteen daughters. My
wife, most excellent of Hens, had reared
them for me in a single summer. We dwelt
in peace: our court belonged to wealthy
monks; a wall protected us, and six great
dogs watched over my children's lives.
Reineke was envious of our peace, lurked
often at our door, where the dogs caught
him once and shook him soundly. He left
us for a time ; but, listen now, alas ! he
came again dressed as a hermit, brought me
letters and a seal ; I knew it ; it was yours.
There I found written that you had declared
peace among beasts and birds. He showed
me that he had become a monk, and taken
strict vows to atone for his past sinfulness ; I
had no more to fear from him. He had
forsworn meat for ever. He exhibited his
cowl and scapular, also a testimonial from the
Prior, and opened his dress to show me a hair
shirt next to his skin. Then he left me with
a pious word or two ; said he had septs and
nones to read, beside the vespers. He read
as he went, and thought of our destruction.
I with a light heart went to glad my children
with his tidings. Now that the Fox was a
monk the world had no more terrors for us ;
we strayed carelessly beyond the walls. Evil
followed, for he lay craftily among the bushes,
ran before and met us in the gate ; he stole
away the finest of my sons, and having tasted
our blood once, sought for more greedily. He
robbed me day by day of children ; out of
twenty there remain but five, and those
will perish. O be pitiful ! He slew my
daughter yesterday, whose body the dogs
rescued. See, here she lies ! Reineke did
the deed !

Then the King said:—Come hither, Grimbart;
see how the hermit fasts, and how he shows
his penitence. But if I live another year he
shall repent in earnest. Words are of no
avail. Believe me, sorrowful Henning, I will
be just to you. Bury your daughter nobly ;
let them sing vigils, and commit her to the
ground with honour ; thereafter I will take
counsel with these my lords, for satisfaction
on the murderer.

So the King ordered vigils to be sung.
The people began Domine placebo, and sang
all the verses. I could name who preached
the sermon, but no matter. The body was
buried, and a thick square block of polished
marble placed over the grave upon which
they carved distinctly :

Scratchfoot, the daughter of Henning the
Cock, the best of the Hen-kind, laid many
eggs in her nest ; was judicious at scratching
for grain. Ah, she lies here ! by the
murderous Reineke torn from her kindred. Let
all the world understand how wicked and
false was the villain ; and ever mourn for
the dead.

That was the style of inscription. Then
the King called for the most prudent of his
lords, that he might hold counsel concerning
the public scandal. And they advised that
he should send a messenger, to bid Reineke,
upon his life, present himself before the
King at a great council; Bruin the Bear they
named as messenger. The King addressing
Bruin, gave him counsel to be diligent and
cautious. The Fox is false and full of malice;
he will endeavour to blind you with tricks,
flatteries, and lies; he will betray you, if he