When they saw the new-comer and how he was made , and when they heard him crying too , they began to look black at him . ` What is it ? what does he want ? ' Finally they rushed at him all together , to overwhelm him with pecks . ' I am lost ! ' said Drakestail to himself , when by good luck he remembers his comrade friend Fox , and he cries : ` Reynard , Reynard , come out of your earth , Or Drakestail 's life is of little worth . ' Then friend Fox , who was only waiting for these words , hastens out , throws himself on the wicked fowls , and quick ! quack ! he tears them to pieces ; so much so that at the end of five minutes there was not one left alive . And Drakestail , quite content , began to sing again , ` Quack , quack , quack , when shall I get my money back ? ' When the King who was still at table heard this refrain , and the poultry woman came to tell him what had been going on in the yard , he was terribly annoyed . He ordered them to throw this tail of a drake into the well , to make an end of him . And it was done as he commanded . Drakestail was in despair of getting himself out of such a deep hole , when he remembered his lady friend , the Ladder . ` Ladder , Ladder , come out of thy hold , Or Drakestail 's days will soon be told . ' My friend Ladder , who was only waiting for these words , hastens out , leans her two arms on the edge of the well , then Drakestail climbs nimbly on her back , and hop ! he is in the yard , where he begins to sing louder than ever . When the King , who was still at table and laughing at the good trick he had played his creditor , heard him again reclaiming his money , he became livid with rage . He commanded that the furnace should be heated , and this tail of a drake thrown into it , because he must be a sorcerer . The furnace was soon hot , but this time Drakestail was not so afraid ; he counted on his sweetheart , my friend River .
` River , River , outward flow , Or XXXXX death Drakestail must go . '
as at because for into of on than to with