The Wolf and the Man

Once upon a time the fox was talking to the wolf about the strength of man; that no animal could withstand him, and that they must use cunning in order to preserve themselves from him. The wolf replied,
"If I had but a chance of seeing a man one day, I would certainly go after him."
"I can help you with that," said the fox. "Come to me early tomorrow morning, and I shall show you one."

So the wolf arrived early, and the fox brought him out to the road, where hunters travelled every day.

First came an elderly discharged soldier.
"Is that a man?" asked the wolf.
"No," answered the fox, "that is one who was."
Then came a small boy, who was going to school.
"Is that a man?"
"No, that is one who will be."
Finally a hunter came, his double-barrelled gun on his back and his hanger at his side.
Said the wolf to the fox, "See, here comes a man, you must go after him; but I shall run away to my hole."

The wolf set quickly upon the man. When the hunter saw him, he said, "It is a shame that I have not loaded many bullets", and aimed and fired his shotgun at the wolf's face. The wolf contorted his face wryly, but was not scared and ran forward; and then the hunter gave him his second shot. The wolf grimly suppressed the pain and rushed at the hunter; however, the hunter drew his polished hanger and gave him a few cuts left and right, so that the wolf, bleeding everywhere, ran howling back to the fox.

"So, brother wolf," said the fox, "how did you cope with the man?"
"Ah," answered the wolf, "I have never imagined such strength in men! First he took a stick from his shoulder and blew into it, then something flew into my face that tickled dreadfully; and then he blew again into the stick, and it flew into my nose like hail and lightning; and when I was quite near, he took a gleaming rib from his side, and attacked me so with it that I was left all but lying dead."
The fox replied, "See what a braggart you are; you throw your hatchet so far that you cannot retrieve it!"