xxvi REYNARD THE FOX

Here, then, we seem to be getting back to
the position of Grimm, that for at least one
‘part of the Reynard Cycle there is a mytho-
logical source current among the Northern
European nations. But even this modicum
of Grimm’s position is rendered doubtful, as has
been shown by M. Gaston Paris, by the fact
that even the Northern nations are not unani-
mous in keeping to the Bear.. It is more
probable that the mythological explanation was
added when the Bear was substituted for the
Wolf, than that the mythology was dropped
when Isengrim took the place of the Bear.
Weare, accordingly, reduced to the conclusion
that in this case the Great Bear does not point
to the Pole.

But after all, these investigations and theories
as to the origin, meaning, and source of the
Reynard have little bearing upon the attraction
it had for our forefathers, and to a more
limited extent for ourselves. Amid the com-
plexities of life it is an obvious convenience
to possess a means by which its problems
can be presented in simpler terms. The
Fable or the Allegory is primarily intended to
simplify the problem in this way. The Fable,
in particular, does this by identifying the