60 NEIGHBOES WITH CLAWS AND HOOFS. 



He gnashes his teeth, leaps up again and again, more pas- 

 sionate, more greedy, and at last, with a mighty bound, 

 he seizes his victim and darts away to his home among 

 the rocks. 



14. But farm-yards are not always open, and the keen 

 demands of appetite increase from day to day. The dis- 

 tant bay of the watch-dog warns him away from the vil- 

 lage. He roams through the woods with the gloomiest 

 thoughts. On a sudden he raises his nose, his eyes flash, 

 a sweet savor is borne gently toward him. Ha ! what is 

 this ? Behold, in the midst of the hungry wood, a de- 

 licious morsel of roast rabbit ! He snatches and swallows 

 it in an instant. His vital powers are renewed, his eyes 

 grow fresher, and with senses sharpened he trots forward. 

 And verily there lies a second morsel ! It is no fancy ; it 

 is of the same savor, the same flesh and bone. Reynard 

 pauses. His suspicions are aroused. With shy steps he 

 creeps around the spot, again pauses, crouches down, list- 

 ens. There is not a sound, save the grating of the old 

 fir-trees. He springs forward, and the second piece is 

 swallowed. 



1 5. Again he starts onward, licking his chops over the 

 dainty which has served to but whet his appetite and 

 there, full before him, is the third morsel. The smell is 

 cruel to the poor hungry creature, and from a distance he 

 devours the bait with his eyes. But this time he is more 

 cautious. He moves around the dainty food in circles. 

 Again he cowers, lays his ears forward, backward, pricks 

 them up, and makes sure that it is safe on every hand. 

 Again all is mute, the firs alone grate on in a surly way. 

 It is as if Nature held her breath. But the delicious scent 

 takes full possession of him. He must approach. With 

 one wild bound he leaps, when crack ! the iron jaws of 

 the trap clash their teeth together. He howls with pain 



