A Corn-crake had made a nest in the meadow late in the year, and at mowing time his Mate was still sitting on her eggs. Early in the morning the peasants came to the meadow, took off the coats, whetted their scythes, and started one after another to mow down the grass and to put it down in rows. The Corn-crake flew up to see what the mowers were doing. When he saw a peasant swing his scythe and cut a snake in two, he rejoiced and flew back to his Mate and said: "Don't fear the peasants! They have come to cut the snakes to pieces; they have given us no rest for quite awhile." But his Mate said: "The peasants are cutting the grass, and with the grass they are cutting everything which is in their way,--the snakes, and the Corn-crake's nest, and the Corn-crake's head. My heart forebodes nothing good: but I cannot carry away the eggs, nor fly from the nest, for fear of chilling them." When the mowers came to the nest of the Corn-crake, one of the peasants swung his scythe and cut off the head of the Corn-crake's Mate, and put the eggs in his bosom and gave them to his children to play with. THE COW AND THE BILLY GOAT An old woman had a Cow and a Billy Goat. The two pastured together. At milking the Cow was restless. The old woman brought out some bread and salt, and gave it to the Cow, and said: "Stand still, motherkin; take it, take it! I will bring you some more, only stand still." On the next evening the Goat came home from the field before the Cow, and spread his legs, and stood in front of the old woman. The old woman wanted to strike him with the towel, but he stood still, and did not stir. He remembered that the woman had promised the Cow some bread if she would stand still. When the woman saw that he would not budge, she picked up a stick, and beat him with it. When the Goat went away, the woman began once more to feed the Cow with bread, and to talk to her. "There is no honesty in men," thought the Goat. "I stood still better than the Cow, and was beaten for it." He stepped aside, took a run, hit against the milk-pail, spilled the milk, and hurt the old woman. THE FOX'S TAIL A Man caught a Fox, and asked her: "Who has taught you Foxes to cheat the dogs with your tails?" The Fox asked: "How do you mean, to cheat? We do not cheat the dogs, but simply run from them as fast as we can." The Man said: "Yes, you do cheat them with your tails. When the dogs catch up with you and are about to clutch you, you turn your tails to one side; the dogs turn sharply after the tail, and then you run in the opposite direction." The Fox laughed, and said: