As soon as they came to the wood Walter looked cautiously around him to see perchance there was a wolf in the bushes , and he did not omit to ask Jonas if wolves were afraid of a drum . ` Of course they are ' -LRB- that is understood -RRB- said Jonas . Thereupon Walter began to beat his drum with all his might while they were going through the wood . When they came to the mill Walter immediately asked if there had been any wolves in the neighbourhood lately . ` Alas ! yes , ' said the miller , ` last night the wolves have eaten our fattest ram there by the kiln not far from here . ' ` Ah ! ' said Walter , ` do you think that there were many ? ' ` We do n't know , ' answered the miller . ` Oh , it is all the same , ' said Walter . ' I only asked so that I should know if I should take Jonas with me . ' I could manage very well alone with three , but if there were more , I might not have time to kill them all before they ran away . ' ` In Walter 's place I should go quite alone , it is more manly , ' said Jonas . ` No , it is better for you to come too , ' said Walter . ` Perhaps there are many . ' ` No , I have not time , ' said Jonas , ` and besides , there are sure not to be more than three . Walter can manage them very well alone . ' ` Yes , ' said Walter , ` certainly I could ; but , you see , Jonas , it might happen that one of them might bite me in the back , and I should have more trouble in killing them . If I only knew that there were not more than two I should not mind , for them I should take one in each hand and give them a good shaking , like Susanna once shook me . ' ' I certainly think that there will not be more than two , ' said Jonas , ` there are never more than two when they slay children and rams ; Walter can very well shake them without me . '
` But , you see , Jonas , ' said Walter , ` if there are two , it might still happen that one of them escapes and bites me XXXXX the leg , for you see I am not so strong in the left hand as in the right .
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