Chapter 19
CHAPTER XIX. The Wedding of Mrs. Fox Once upon a time there was a fox who had nine tails. One day he took it into his head to play a trick on his wife, and by means of it find out how fond she was of him.
So he laid himself out on a bench, and kept as stiff and still as if he were dead. Mrs. Fox felt quite sad when she found him, and went to her room and shut herself in, leaving the house in charge of her maid, a young cat. The news spread that Mr. Fox was dead,
and it was not long before there was a knock at the door. The maid went to the door and saw there a fine young fox, who asked, Is Mrs. Fox in? The maid said, She is so full of grief for her husband that she stays in her room and will see no one.
If you wish to send word to her, you must tell me what it is. All right, said the fox. Go and tell her that a young fox has come to woo her. Upstairs goes the cat. Pit-pat, pit-pat.
She knocks at the door. Rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat. Are you there, Mrs. Fox? Yes, my dear good cat, said Mrs. Fox. There is a young fox downstairs.
Come to woo you. What does he look like? asked Mrs. Fox. Has he nine fine tails, like my poor dead husband? Oh no, said the maid, he has but one. Then I will not have him, said Mrs. Fox.
So the cat went down and sent the fox off, but soon came a second tap at the door, from a fox who had two tails, and wished to woo Mrs. Fox. His fate was the same as that of the first one. Then came six more, one at a time, each with one tail more than he who came before him,
but they were all sent off. But at last came a fox who had nine fine tails, like the dead one. When Mrs. Fox heard of it, she said, full of joy, to the cat, Now you may open wide the windows and doors, and turn the old fox out of the house.
But just then the old fox roused from his sleep on the bench and beat the whole lot of them, his wife and all, till he drove them out of the house. Second tale. When old Mr. Fox died, a wolf came to the door and knocked,
and the cat who was made to Mrs. Fox went to the door. Good day, Miss Cat, he said. How does it come to pass that you are alone? Is Mrs. Fox not at home? She stays in her room, and neither eats nor drinks nor sleeps. She is so full of grief for Mr. Fox.
Then the wolf said, If she would like to wed a second time, she ought to come down and see me. So the cat ran up the stairs and through the hall, till she came to Mrs. Fox's room. She knocked five times on the door, and asked, Is Mrs. Fox at home? If so, and she would like to wed a second time,
she must come downstairs, for a wolf who would woo her is at the door. Mrs. Fox asked, Does he wear red stockings, and has he a pointed nose? No, said the cat. Then I will not have him, said Mrs. Fox.
And she shut the door. The wolf was sent off, and then there came in turn a dog, a stag, a hare, a bear, and a horse, but they all had the same ill luck. At last a young fox came, and when Mrs. Fox asked, Has he red stockings and a pointed nose?
The cat said, Yes. She was told to let him in and prepare for the wedding. Then they threw the old fox out of the door, and the cat caught and ate all the mice she could, in honour of the glad event. And after the marriage they had a grand ball, and for all I know they are dancing still.
