VII REYNARD THE FOX 49

many other, so that the cat received many
deadly blows, and the anger of Martinet was
so great, that he struck out one of the
cat’s eyes, which he did to second the priest,
thinking at one blow to dash out the cat’s
brains. But the cat perceiving his death so
near him, in a desperate mood he leaped upon
the priest, and scratched and tore him in so
dread a manner, that the poor priest fell down
in a swoon, so that every man left the cat to
revive the priest. And whilst they were doing
this, the fox returned home to Walepardus, for
he imagined the cat was past all hope to escape.
But the poor-cat seeing all his foes busy about
the priest, he presently began to gnaw and
bite the cord, till he had sheared it quite
asunder in the midst. And he leaped out of
the hole and went roaring and stumbling, like
the bear, to the King’s court. But before he
got thither, it was fair day, and the sun being
risen, he entered the court like the pitifullest
beast that ever was beheld; for by the fox’s
craft his body was beaten and bruised, his
bones shivered and broken, one of his eyes
lost, and his skin rent and mangled.

This when the King beheld, and saw 77bert
So pitifully mangled, he grew infinitely angry

E