“Upon my word,” said the fox, “nothing so much as the pleasure of seeing your ladyship and hearing those agreeable anecdotes you tell with so charming a grace; but to let you into a secret--be sure it don’t go further--” “On the word of a magpie,” interrupted the bird. “Pardon me for doubting you,” continued the fox; “I should have recollected that a pie was a proverb for discretion. But, as I was saying, you know her Majesty the lioness?” “Surely,” said the magpie, bridling. “Well; she was pleased to fall in--that is to say--to--to--take a caprice to your humble servant, and the lion grew so jealous that I thought it prudent to decamp. A jealous lion is no joke, let me assure your ladyship. But mum’s the word.” So great a piece of news delighted the magpie. She could not but repay it in kind, by all the news in her budget. She told the fox all the scandal about Bruin and Gauntgrim, and she then fell to work on the poor young cat. She did not spare her foibles, you may be quite sure. The fox listened with great attention, and he learned enough to convince him that however much the magpie might exaggerate, the cat was very susceptible to flattery, and had a great deal of imagination. When the magpie had finished she said, “But it must be very unfortunate for you to be banished from so magnificent a court as that of the lion?” “As to that,” answered the fox, “I console myself for my exile with a present his Majesty made me on parting, as a reward for my anxiety for his honour and domestic tranquillity; namely, three hairs from the fifth leg of the amoronthologosphorus. Only think of that, ma’am!” “The what?” cried the pie, cocking down her left ear. “The amoronthologosphorus.” “La!” said the magpie; “and what is that very long word, my dear Reynard?” “The amoronthologosphorus is a beast that lives on the other side of the river Cylinx; it has five legs, and on the fifth leg there are three hairs, and whoever has those three hairs can be young and beautiful forever.” “Bless me! I wish you would let me see them,” said the pie, holding out her claw. “Would that I could oblige you, ma’am; but it’s as much as my life’s worth to show them to any but the lady I marry. In fact, they only have an effect on the fair sex, as you may see by myself, whose poor person they utterly fail to improve: they are, therefore, intended for a marriage present, and his Majesty the lion thus generously atoned to me for relinquishing the tenderness of his queen. One must confess that there was a great deal of delicacy in the gift. But you’ll be sure not to mention it.” “A magpie gossip indeed!” quoth the old blab. The fox then wished the magpie good night, and retired to a hole to sleep off the fatigues of the day, before he presented himself to the beautiful young cat.