If the Fox was merry and glad, it was no wonder.

 

Always
I prayed God
that he would keep our King
in worship and good health
and grant him long life
but I thought well
if my father held his treasure
he should with his false fellows
well find the way 
that the King should be deposed
and set aside

I was sore bethought
how I might best know
where my father's goods lay
I awaited at all times
as nigh as I could
in woods
in bushes
in fields
where my father laid his eyes
were it by night or by day
cold or wet
I was always by him
to espy and know
where his treasure was laid

on a time
I lay down all pat on the ground
and saw my father
come running out of a hole

now hark 
what I saw him do
when he came out of the hole
he looked fast about
if anybody had seen him
and when he could 
nowhere no one see
he stopped the hole with sand
and made it even and plain
like to the ground by
he knew not that I saw it
and where his footspore stood
there striked he with his tail
and made it smooth with his mouth
that no man should espy it

learned I there
of my false father
and many subtleties
I before knew nothing of
then departed he thence
and ran to the villageward
for to do his things
and I forgot not
but sprang and leap
to the holeward
and how well he had supposed
he had made all fast
I was not so much a fool
but I found the hole well
and scratched and scraped
with my feet
the sand out of the hole
and crept therein
there found I
the most plenty 
of silver and of gold
that ever I saw
here is none so old
that ever so much saw
on one heap
in all his life

then took I Ermelyne
my wife
to help
and we rested
neither night nor day
to bear and carry away
with great labour and pain
this rich treasure
into another place
that lay for us better
under a hawthorn 
in a deep hole

in the meanwhile
my housewife and I
thus laboured
my father was with them
that would betray the King

now may ye hear
what they did

Bruyn the Bear
and Yesgrym the Wolf
sent all the land about
if any man would take wages
they should come to Bruyn
and he would pay them
their souldye or wages before
my father ran over all the land
and bore the letters
he little thought
he was robbed of his treasure
yea, though he might have
wandered all the world
he could not find a penny thereof

when my father
had been over all the land
between the Elve and the Somme
and had gotten many a soldier
that should the next summer 
have come to help Bruyn
then came he again
to the Bear and his fellows
and told them
how great an adventure
he had before the boroughs
in the land of Saxony
how the hunters daily ridden
hunted with hounds after him
in suchwise 
he hardly escaped with his life

when he had told this to these
four false traitors
then showed he them letters
that pleased much Bruyn
therein were written 
xii.c. of Ysegrym's lineage by name
without the Bears, the Foxes
the Cats and the Badgers
all these had sworn
that with the first messenger
should come to them
they should be ready
and come for to help the Bear
if they had their wages a month before

this espied I
I thank God

after these words
my father went to the hole
where his treasure had lain
and would look upon it
then began he to greatly sorrow
for that he sought he found nothing
he found his hole broken
and his treasure born away
then did he that 
I well may sorrow and bewail
for great anger and sorrow
he went and hanged himself

thus abode the treason of Bruyn
by my subtlety after

now see my infortune
these traitors
Ysegrym and Bruyn
be now most privy of counsel
about the King
and sit by him at the high table
and I
poor Reynard
have neither thanks nor reward
I have buried my own father
by cause the King should have his life

my lord

said the Fox

where be they 
that so would do
that is to destroy themselves
for to keep you?

the King and the Queen
hoped to win the treasure
and without council
took to them Reynard
and prayed him 
he would do so well
as to tell them 
were this treasure was

Reynard said

how should I tell the King
or them that would hang me
for love of the traitors and murderers
which by their flattery
would fain bring me to death?
should I tell to them
where my goods are
then were I out of my wits

the Queen then spake

nay, Reynard
the King shall let you have your life
and shall all together forgive you
and ye shall be from henceforth 
wise and true to my lord

The Fox answered
to the Queen

dear lady
if the King will believe me
and he will pardon and forgive me
all my old trespasses
there was never a king so rich
as I shall make him
for the treasure I shall give him
is right costly
and may not be numbered

the King said

ach dame
will ye believe the Fox?
save your reverence
he is born to rob
steal and to lie
down to the bones
so cannot be had out
from his flesh

the Queen said

Nay
my lord
ye may 
now
well 
believe
him
though he were heretofore fell
he is now changed otherwise
than
he
was

ye have well heard
that he has impeached his father
and the Dasse
his nephew
which he might well have led on
other beasts
if he would have been false
fell and a liar

the King said

dame
will ye then have it so
and think ye it best to be done
though I supposed it should hurt me
I will take all these trespasses
of Reynard upon me
and believe his words
but 
I swear by my crown
if he ever hereafter 
mis-do or trespass
that shall he dear pay
and all his lineage unto the ix. degree

the Fox
glanced at the King
now and then
and was glad in his heart
and said

my lord
I were not wise
if I should say the thing
that were not true

the King
took up a straw from the ground
and pardoned
and forgave
the Fox
all the misdeeds
and trespasses
of his father
and of him also

if the Fox was merry and glad
it was no wonder
for he was quit of his death
and was all free and frank
of all his enemies