ALL they that stood there had pity when Reynart said tho words, and said it was but a little request if the King would grant it him, and they prayed the King to grant it him. The King gave him leave.
Reynart was well glad, and hoped that it might fall better, and said thus:
“Now help, Spiritus Domini, for I see here no man but I have trespassed unto. Nevertheless yet was I, unto the time that I was weaned from the teat, one of the best children that could anywhere be found. I went tho and played with the lambs, because I heard them gladly bleat. I was so long with them that at the last I bit one; there learned I first to lappen of the blood. It savoured well; me thought it right good. And after I began to taste of the flesh thereof, I was licorous; so that after that I went to the gate into the wood, there heard I the kids bleat and I slew of them two. I began to wax hardy after. I slew hens, polaylle and geese wherever I found them. Thus worden my teeth all bloody. After this, I wex so fell and so wroth that whatsomever I found that I might over, I slew all. Thereafter came I by Esegrim, now in the winter, where he hid him under a tree, arid reckoned to me that he was my eme. When I heard him then reckon alliance, we became fellows, which I may well repent. We promised each to other to be true, and to use good fellowship, and began to wander together. He stole the great things and I the small, and all was common between us. Yet he made it so that he had the best deal; I got not half my part. When that Esegrim got a calf a ram or a wether, then grimmed he, and was angry on me, and drove me from him, and held my part and his too, so good is he. Yet this was of the least. But when it so lucked that we took an ox or a cow, then came thereto his wife with seven children; so that unto me might vnnethe come one of the smallest ribs, and yet, had they eaten all the flesh thereof, therewithall must I be content; not for that I had so great need, for I have so great scatte and good of silver and of gold, that seven wains should not can carry it away.”
When the King heard him speak of this great good and riches, he burned in the desire and covetyse thereof, and said,“Reynart, where is the riches become? tell me that.”
The Fox said,“My lord, I shall tell you. The riches was stolen. And had it not be stolen, it should have cost you your life and you should have been murdered, —which God forbid!—and should have been the greatest hurt in the world.”
When the Queen heard that, she was sore afraid and cried aloud,“Alas and weleaway! Reynart, what say you? I conjure you by the long way that your soul shall go, that you tell us openly the truth hereof, as much as you know of this great murder that should have be done on my lord, that we all may hear it!”
Now hearken how the Fox shall flatter the King and Queen, and shall win both their good will and loves, and shall hinder them that labour for his death. He shall unbind his pack and lie, and by flattery and fair words shall bring forth so his matters that it shall be supposed for truth.
In a sorrowful countenance spake the Fox to the Queen,“I am in such case now that I must needs die, and had you me not so sore conjured I will not jeopardise my soul, and if I so died I should go therefor in to the pain of hell. I will say nothing but that I will make it good, for piteously he should have been murdered of his own folk. Nevertheless they that were most principal in this feat were of my next kin, whom gladly I would not betray, if the sorrow were not of the hell.”
The King was heavy of heart, and said,“Reynart, sayest thou to me the truth?”
“Yes,”said the Fox.“See you not how it stands with me? Ween you that I shall damn my soul? What should it avail me if I now said otherwise than truth? My death is so nigh. There may neither prayer nor good help me.”Tho trembled the Fox, by dissembling, as he had been afraid.
The Queen had pity on him, and prayed the King to have mercy on him, in eschewing of more harm, and that he should do the people hold their peace, and give the Fox audience, and hear what he should say.
Tho commanded the King openly that each of them should be still, and suffer the Fox to say unberisped what that he would.
Then said the Fox,“Be you now all still, since it is the King's will, and I shall tell you openly this treason. And therein will I spare no man that I know guilty.”
大眾聽了列那這一席話,都很可憐他,一同向國王說,這是一個小小的要求,不妨答應(yīng)他。于是國王便答應(yīng)了他。
列那很喜歡,希望結(jié)果可以更好些,于是他說道:“在這里的,我差不多都有侵害他們的地方。然而當(dāng)我幼時,我是最好的孩子之一。我后來去和眾羊游戲,因為我有聽見他們的悅耳的叫聲。我和他們同在了許久,后來咬了一只羊,這是我第一次去學(xué)舐血。血的味道很好。以后我便開始去吃肉,我覺得很好吃,所以后來我便到森林中去,聽見有小羊的叫聲——我殺了他們兩只。我開始很勇敢地做這些事了。我殺了雞、鴨、鵝之類,只要我能尋到他們。我的嘴都染了血。以后,我益發(fā)兇殘了,只要我能尋到可以制服他們的東西,我便都把他們殺死了。以后,我遇到了依賽格林,那時是冬天,他藏在一株樹下,他對我說,他是我的叔叔。我聽了這話,便認(rèn)他為親屬,我們成了同伴,至今我還很后悔。我們相約大家要互相誠實,好好地相待,于是便開始一同游行。他偷大的東西,我偷小的東西,所有的東西都平分,然而他總是得到最多——我還得不到應(yīng)得的一半。當(dāng)依賽格林捉得一頭小牛,一只公羊,或一只羯羊,于是他便同我生氣了,把我驅(qū)逐開了,我的一份便也歸了他。這還是小的事。但當(dāng)我們運氣很好,得到了一頭牛,那么他的妻帶了七個孩子來了,于是我所得的不過一段最小的肋骨,然而我并非不滿足,因為我有無數(shù)的金銀珍寶,七個車子還載不了?!?/p>
“我要在你們大眾之前,公開地懺悔我自己。”
國王聽到他說有許多金銀珍寶,貪心頓熾,問道:“列那,后來那金銀怎么樣了?告訴我?!?/p>
狐說道:“我的王,我要告訴你的。金銀幸虧被偷了。如果這些金銀不被偷,你的生命便要危險,你便要被奸人暗害了——那是上帝所不許的!也是世界上最大的損害?!?/p>
王后聽了這話,十分的恐懼,高聲叫道:“啊,列那,你說的什么?我求你公開地說出這件大謀殺事件的真相,使大家都得聽見!”
現(xiàn)在聽列那怎樣的煽動國王與王后,贏得了他們的好感與愛意,且中傷了那些圖謀置他于死地的仇人。他說謊話,說得異常動聽,好像那些事是真的。
狐以憂戚之容,對王后說道:“我現(xiàn)在必須死了,但我很可憐他要被他自己的人所謀害?!?/p>
國王心里很憂郁,說道:“列那,你對我說的是真話么?”
狐說道:“是的,我快死了,難道還造謊話,使我靈魂再受苦么?”說到死字時,他故意渾身發(fā)抖,表示害怕。
王后很可憐他,要求國王叫大眾靜靜的,聽狐說話。
于是國王命令大眾不得喧嘩,聽列那說話。
狐說道:“你們現(xiàn)在都要靜靜的,那是國王的意思,我要公開地告訴你們這個叛謀了。我決不讓那些有罪的得以漏網(wǎng)。”
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