Prevod

A farmer had a faithful horse that had grown old and could no longer work. His master would no longer give him anything to eat and said, “I can certainly make no more use of you, but I mean well by you all the same. If you can still prove yourself strong enough to bring me a lion, I will keep you. But for now, get out of my stable.” With that, he drove him out into the open fields. The horse was sad and went towards the forest to find a little shelter from the weather. There he met the fox, who said, “Why do you hang your head and wander about all alone?” “Ah,” answered the horse, “greed and loyalty do not live together under one roof. My master has forgotten all the service I have given him over so many years, and because I can no longer plough properly, he will give me no more fodder and has driven me away.” “Without a word of comfort?” asked the fox. “Cold comfort it was. He said that if I were still strong enough to bring him a lion, he would keep me, but he knows full well that I cannot.” The fox said, “Then I will help you. Just lie down, stretch yourself out, and do not stir, as though you were dead.” The horse did as the fox asked, while the fox went to the lion, whose den was not far away, and said, “There is a dead horse lying out there. Come along, and you can have a fine feast.” The lion went with him, and when they stood beside the horse, the fox said, “You will not be very comfortable here. Do you know what? I will tie him to you by his tail, and then you can drag him into your den and eat him in peace.” The lion liked this advice. He stood still, and so that the fox could tie the horse to him securely, he did not move a muscle. But the fox bound the lion’s legs together with the horse’s tail, twisting and knotting it all so firmly and tightly that no amount of strength could break it. When he had finished his work, he patted the horse on the shoulder and said, “Pull, old grey, pull!” At once the horse sprang up and dragged the lion away with him. The lion began to roar so loudly that the birds throughout the forest flew up in fright, but the horse let him roar and hauled and dragged him across the fields to his master’s door. When his master saw this, he thought better of his decision and said to the horse, “You shall stay with me and be well cared for.” And he gave him all he could eat for the rest of his days.