Oldal 33 [33]
THE DEATH OF THE HEN. 13
and lay there dead. And the cock was so grieved that he
cried aloud, and all the beasts came and lamented for the hen ;
and six mice built a little waggon, on which to carry the poor
hen to her grave, and when it was ready they harnessed them¬
selves to it, and the cock drove. On the way they met the
fox.
(6: Halloa, cock,” cried he, " where are you off to?”
c To bury my hen,” answered the cock.
‘Can I come too?” said the fox.
-- Ves, if you follow behind,” said the cock.
So the fox followed behind and he was soon joined by the
wolf, the bear, the stag, the lion, and all the beasts in the wood.
And the procession went on till they came to a brook.
‘‘ How shall we get over?” said the cock. Now in the
brook there was a straw, and he said,
“T will lay myself across, so that you may pass over
on me.” But when the six mice had got upon this bridge, the
straw slipped and fell into the water and they all tumbled in
and were drowned. So they were as badly off as ever, when
a coal came up and said he would lay himself across and they
might pass over him; but no sooner had he touched the water
than he hissed, went out, and was dead. A stone seeing this
was touched with pity, and, wishing to help the cock, he laid
himself across the stream. And the cock drew the waggon with
the dead hen in it safely to the other side, and then began to
draw the others who followed behind across too, but it was
too much for him, the waggon turned over, and all tumbled
into the water one on the top of another, and were drowned.
So the cock was left all alone with the dead hen, and he
digged a grave and laid her in it, and he raised a mound
above her, and sat himself down and lamented so sore that at
last he died. And so they were all dead together,