XXI REYNARD THE FOX 181

horse said, “Mount upon my back, and |
will bear thee after him, till with tiring we
take him.” The herdsman took his offer,
and bestriding the horse followed the deer;
but he fled away so fast, and got so much
ground of the horse, that with much labour
the horse grew weary, and he bade the herds-
man alight, for he would rest himself awhile.
But the herdsman said, ‘I have a bridle on
thy head, and spurs on my heels, therefore
know thou art now my servant, neither will I
part with thee, but govern thee as seems best
to my pleasure.” Thus the horse brought
himself into thraldom and was taken in his
own net, for no creature hath a _ greater
adversary than his own envy, and many which
labour the hurt of others, still fall upon their
own ruin.

‘In another part were figured an ass and a
hound, which were both the servants of a rich
man. This man loved his hound exceedingly,
and would oft play with him, and suffer the
dog to fawn and leap upon him, and now and
then to lick him about the mouth. Now when
Laldwin the ass saw this, he began to envy
the hound, and said, ‘What sees my master
in this foul hound, that he suffers him thus to