38 lines
2.0 KiB
Plaintext
38 lines
2.0 KiB
Plaintext
THE HORSE AND THE WOLF
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Once upon a time... a horse was gazing peacefully in a rolling green meadow.
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A famished wolf passing by saw the horse and his mouth began to water.
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"That's a fine horse! And will taste good too! He'd make a juicy steak!
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Pity he's so big. I don't think I'd manage to bring him down, though you never
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know..."
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The wolf approached the horse, which continued to eat the grass. "...maybe,
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if I take him by surprise."
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Now quite close, the wolf spoke to the horse, trying to sound as pleasant as
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he could.
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"Good day, Mr. Horse, I see you're enjoying a meal. Is the grass good? I
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must say you're looking rather pale. Aren't you well?"
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His mouth fool of grass, the horse replied: "Pale? Oh, no, that's my natural
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colour. I was born white and grey."
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The wolf pretended not to understand what the horse had said. "Yes, indeed,
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very pale. It's just as well your master has given you a holiday in the field,
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instead of working."
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"A holiday in the field? But I'm the picture of health!..."
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The wolf was now circling round the horse, trying to find the best point to
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attack.
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"I'm a doctor," he went on. "I can treat you. If you tell me where the pain
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is. I'm sure I can cure it. Take my advice. Let me examine you!"
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The horse, who was not usually wary of others, became suspicious of the
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wolf's persistent remarks, and thought he had better be on his guard. The wolf
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was now very close and carefully biding his time, when the horse said, in
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alarm: "Yes! Now that think of it, I have a sore hind foot. It's been swollen
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for ages..."
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Without a moment's thought, the wolf trotted up to the hoof which the horse
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had obligingly raised into the air. And when he was certain that the wolf had
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come within range, the horse gave a mighty kick, catching the wolf on the
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jawbone and sending him flying.
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"Would like to examine me again?" The wolf heard the words as he struggled
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to his feet with spinning head.
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"No thanks! That's enough for one day1" he mumbled, limping away, with no
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further thought for horse steaks.
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