With such flattering words, brought he the Hare to his hole at an evil hour.

 

Capitulo xx. How Cywart the Hare was slain by the Fox.

When the Fox was before the gate of his house
he said to Bellyn the Ram

cousin
ye shall abide here without
I and Cywart will go in
for I will pray Cywart help me
take my leave of Ermelyn
my wife
to comfort her and my children

Bellyn said

I pray him
comfort them well

with such flattering words
brought he the Hare to his hole
at an evil hour

there found they dame Ermelyn
lying on the ground with her younglings
which had sorrowed much
for dread of Reynard's death
but when she saw him come 
she was glad
but when she saw his pouch and staff
and espied his shoes
she marvelled 
and said

dear Reynard
how have you sped?

he said

I was arrested in the court
but the King let me go
I must go on a pilgrimage
Bruyn the Bear and Ysegrym the Wolf
are held in pledge for me
I thank the King
he has given us Cywart here 
to do with what we will
the King said himself
that Cywart was the first 
that on us complained
and by the faith I owe you
I am right wroth with Cywart

when Cywart heard these words
he was sore afraid
he would have fled
but he might not
for the Fox stood
between him and the gate
and he caught him by the neck
cried the Hare

help!
Bellyn
help!
where be ye?
this pilgrim slays me!

but his crying was soon done
for the Fox had anon bitten 
his throat in two

said he

let us go eat
this good fat hare

the young whelps
came also
thus held they
a great feast
for Cywart 
had a good fat body
Ermelyn ate the flesh
and drank the blood
she thanked oft the King
that he had made them so merry

the Fox said

eat as much as ye may
he will pay for it
if we will fetch it

she said

Reynard
I trust ye much
tell me the truth
how ye be departed thence

said Reynard

dame
I have so flattered 
the King and the Queen
that I suppose the friendship between us
shall be right thin
when he shall know this
he shall be angry
and hastily seek me
for to hang me by my neck
therefore
let us depart
and steal secretly away
in some other forest
where we may live
without fear and dread
and there we may live
vij. years and more
and find us not
there is plenty of good meat
of partridge and woodcock
and much other wild fowl
dame
and if ye will come with me thither
there being sweet wells
and fair clear running brooks
Lord God
how sweet the air there
there may we be in peace and ease
and live in great wealth
for the King has let me go
by cause I told him
there was great treasure at Krekenpyt
but there shall he find nothing
though he sought forever
this shall sore anger him
when he knows he is thus deceived
ye understand how many a lie I told
so I could escape him
it was hard to escape prison
I was never in greater peril
I shall by my will never more come
in the King;s danger
I have now gotten my thumb out of his mouth
that thank I my subtlety

dame Ermelyn said

Reynard
I counsel we go not into another forest
where we should be strange and lonely
we have here all we desire
and ye be here lord of our neighbours
wherefore shall we leave this place
and venture us in a worse?
we may abide here sure enough
if the King would do us any harm
or besiege us
here be so many by or side-holes
suchwise we shall escape from him
in abiding here
we may not do amiss
we know all by-paths over all
and ere he take us with might
he must have much help thereto
but that you have sworn
ye shall go over sea
and abide there
that is the thing touches me most

said Reynard

nay dame
care not therefore
how more forsworn
how more forlorn
I went once with a good man
that said to me
an illicit oath
or oath sworn by force
was no oath
though I went on this pilgrimage
it should not avail me a cat's tail
I will abide here
and follow your counsel
if the King hunt me
I shall keep me as well I may
if he be too mighty
yet I hope with subtlety
to beguile him
I shall unbind my sack
if he will seek harm 
he shall find harm

now was Bellyn the Ram angry
that Cywart his fellow
was so long in the hole
and called loud

come out
Cywart!
in the devil's name!
how long shall Reynard
keep you there?
haste you
and come let us go

when Reynard heard this
he went out
and said softly to Bellyn the Ram

lief Bellyn
wherefore be ye angry?
Cywart speaks with his dear aunt
methinks ye ought not be displeased therefore
he bade me say to you
ye might well go before
and he shall come after
he is lighter of foot than ye
he must tarry a while
with his aunt and her children
they weep and cry
by cause I shall go from them

Bellyn said

what did Cywart?
methought he cried after help

the Fox answered

what say ye Bellyn?
think ye he should have any harm?
now hearken what he did
when he were come in my house
and Ermelyn my wife 
understood I should go over sea
she fell down in a swound

then said the Ram

in faith I understood
that Cywart had been in great danger

the Fox said

nay truly
than Cywart should have any harm in my house
I had rather my wife and children
should suffer much hurt!