228 THE PLEASANT HISTORY OF CHAP.

The wolf was exceeding furious, and ten
times he leaped to catch Reynard fast, but his
skin was so slippery and oily he could not hold
him. Nay, so wondrous nimble was he in the
fight, that when the wolf thought to have him
surest, he would shift himself between his legs
and under his belly, and every time gave the
wolf a bite with his teeth, or a slap on the face
with his tail, that the poor wolf found nothing
but despair in the conflict, albeit his strength
was much the greater.

Thus many wounds and bitings passing on
either side, the one expressing cunning, and
the other strength, the one fury, the other
temperance ; in the end the wolf being enraged
that the battle had continued so long, for had
his feet been sound it had been much shorter,
he said to himself, ‘I will make an end of this
combat, for I know my very weight is able to
crush him to pieces; and I lose much of my
reputation, to suffer him thus long to contend
against me.’

And this said, he struck the fox again so
sore a blow on the head with his foot, that he
fell down to the ground, and ere he could
recover himself and arise, he caught him in his

feet and threw him under him, lying upon him