THE WOLF AND HIS NATURE 57 



whelps, and eateth his fill first, and then he 

 leaveth them the remnant, if there be any, and if 

 there be not any left they die of hunger, if they 

 will, for he recketh but little so that his belly be 

 full. And when the mother seeth that, and has 

 been far to seek her meat she leaveth her meat 

 a great way thence for her whelps, and then she 

 cometh to see if the wolf is with them, and if he 

 be there she stayeth till he be gone and then she 

 bringeth them her meat. But also the wolf is 

 so malicious that when he seeth her come without 

 food he goeth and windeth her muzzle and if he 

 windeth she hath brought anything he taketh her 

 by the teeth and biteth her so that she must 

 show him where she hath left her food. And 

 when the bitch perceiveth that the wolf doth 

 this when she returneth to her whelps she keepeth 

 in the covert and doth not show herself if she 

 perceiveth that the wolf is with them, and if he 

 be there she hideth herself until the time he hath 

 gone to his prey on account of his great hunger, 

 and when he is gone she brings her whelps her 

 food for to eat. And this is truth. 



Some men say that she bathes her body and her 

 head so that the wolf should wind nothing of her 

 feeding when she cometh to them, but of this I 

 make no affirmation. 



There be other heavy wolves of this nature, the 

 which be not so in fellowship, they do not help 



