Well, they went on and on and on, until, at last, they came to a deep forest, and, by and by, whom should they meet but a great red fox. “Whither away, friends?” said he. “Oh, we are going out into the wide world,” said the Grey Goose, the Sausage, and the Cock. “And why do you travel that road?” said the Fox. Oh, there was nothing but tangled yarn at home: the Grey Goose grew live feathers for other folk’s picking, the Sausage was stuffed for other folk’s feasting, and the Cock crowed in the morn for other folk’s waking. That was the way of the world over yonder, and so they had left it. “Yes,” said the Fox, “that is true; so come with me into the deep forest, for there every one can live for himself! and nobody else.” So they all went into the forest together, for the Fox’s words pleased them very much. “And now,” said the Fox to the Grey Goose, “you shall be my wife,” for he had never had a sweetheart before, and even a Grey Goose is better than none. “And what is to become of us?” said the Sausage and the Cock. “You and I shall be dear friends,” said the Great Red Fox. Thereat the Cock and the Sausage were content, for it took but little to satisfy them. Well, everything was just as the Great Red Fox had said it should be: the Goose kept her own feathers, the Sausage was stuffed for its own good, the Cock crowed for its own ears, and everything was as smooth as rich cream. Moreover, the Great Red Fox and the Grey Goose were husband and wife, and the Great Red Fox and the Sausage and the Cock were dear friends. [Illustration: The Grey Goose goes out into the wide world, where she and a discontented Sausage meet the Cock and the Fox.] One morning says the Great Red Fox to the Grey Goose, “Neighbor Cock makes a mighty hubbub with his crowing!” “Yes, that is so,” said the Grey Goose; for she always sang the same tune as the Great Red Fox, as a good wife should. “Then,” said the Great Red Fox, “I will go over and have a talk with him.” So off he packed, and by and by he came to Neighbor Cock’s house. Rap! tap! tap! he knocked at the door, and who should look out of the window but the Cock himself. “See, Neighbor Cock,” said the Great Red Fox, “you make a mighty hubbub with that crowing of yours.” “That may be so, and that may not be so,” said the Cock; “all the same, the hubbub is in my own house.” “That is good,” said the Great Red Fox, “but one should not trouble one’s neighbors, even in one’s own house; so, if it suits you, we will have no more crowing.” “I was made for crowing, and crow I must,” said the Cock. “You must crow no more,” said the Great Red Fox. “I must crow,” said the Cock. “You must not crow,” said the Great Red Fox. “I must crow,” said the Cock. And that was the last of it for—snip!—off went its head, and it crowed no more. Nevertheless, he had the last word, and that was some comfort. After that the Great Red Fox ate up the Cock, body and bones, and then he went home again.