He gathered a bundle of sticks for a fire , and was just preparing to cook a steak , when his enemy , the Lapp , came up , panting with haste and excitement . ` What are you doing there ? ' cried he ; ` why did you palm off those bones on me ? And why , when you had got the reindeer , did you kill them ? ' ` Dear brother , ' answered the fox with a sob , ` do not blame me for this misfortune . It is my comrades who have slain them in spite of my prayers . ' The man made no reply , for the white fur of the ermine , who was crouching with the mouse behind some stones , had just caught his eye . He hastily seized the iron hook which hung over the fire and flung it at the little creature ; but the ermine was too quick for him , and the hook only touched the top of its tail , and that has remained black to this day . As for the mouse , the Lapp threw a half-burnt stick after him , and though it was not enough to hurt him , his beautiful white skin was smeared all over with it , and all the washing in the world would not make him clean again . And the man would have been wiser if he had let the ermine and the mouse alone , for when he turned round again he found he was alone . Directly the fox noticed that his enemy 's attention had wandered from himself he watched his chance , and stole softly away till he had reached a clump of thick bushes , when he ran as fast as he could , till he reached a river , where a man was mending his boat . ` Oh , I wish , I wish , I had a boat to mend too ! ' he cried , sitting up on his hind-legs and looking into the man 's face . ` Stop your silly chatter ! ' answered the man crossly , ` or I will give you a bath in the river . ' ` Oh , I wish , I do wish , I had a boat to mend , ' cried the fox again , as if he had not heard . And the man grew angry and seized him by the tail , and threw him far out in the stream close to the edge of an island ; which was just what the fox wanted . He easily scrambled up , and sitting on the top , he called : ` Hasten , hasten , O fishes , and carry me to the other side ! ' And the fishes left the stones where they had been sleeping , and the pools where they had been feeding , and hurried to see who could get to the island first . ' I have won , ' shouted the pike .
` Jump XXXXX my back , dear fox , and you will find yourself in a trice on the opposite shore . '
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