132 COSSACK FAIRY TALES.

Now one day the hare came to steal the man’s
cabbage. ‘‘ Kreem-kreem-kreem!” he squeaked. But
the cat popped his head out of the window, and when
he saw the hare, he put up his back and stuck up
his tail and said: “ Ft-t-t-t-t-Frrrrrrr!” The hare
was frightened and ran away and told the bear, the
wolf, and the wild boar all about it. “ Never mind,”
said the bear, “I tell you what, we'll all four give a
banquet, and invite the fox and the cat, and do for
the pair of them. Now, look here! T'll steal the
man’s mead ; and you, Mr. Wolf, steal his fat-pot ; and
you, Mr. Wildboar, root up his fruit-trees ; and you,
Mr. Bunny, go and invite the fox and the cat to
dinner.”

So they made everything ready as the bear had
said, and the hare ran off to invite the guests. He
came beneath the window and said: ‘“ We invite your
little ladyship Foxey-Woxey, together with Mr. Shagg
Matthew, to dinner ”—and back he ran again.—‘‘ But
you should have told them to bring their spocns with
them,” said the bear.—‘* Oh, what a head I’ve got! if
I didn’t quite forget!” cried the hare, and back he
went again, ran beneath the window and cried :
Mind you bring your spoons !”—“ Very well,” said
the fox.

So the cat and the fox went to the banquet, and
when the cat saw the bacon, he put up his back and