Chapter 12 Reynard Fox's Defense in "The Story of Reynard the Fox"

Several scouts saw the arrival of Granbell and Reynard and spread the news immediately.Everyone wants to see how the lion Noble will receive the prisoner Reynard Fox. Everyone rushed to come, you pushed me and crowded into a ball. Each of them wants to speak. Now that Reynard has broken the law and lost power, shouldn't he take this opportunity to humiliate him? Seeing so many enemies surrounding him, Reynard puffed out his chest proudly, without showing the slightest worry or fear—a gesture that was a testament to that in itself. Reynolds, still dignified like a baron coming to greet his sovereign, walked up to the lion Noble and the lioness Madame Fiere.

He bowed respectfully to the king like a perfectly virtuous minister. "Your Majesty," said he, "you will beg your pardon for not being able to come earlier to fulfill my duty. "In the past few days, I have been unwell and have been afraid to go on the road. But please believe in my sincere heart, Your Majesty will not fail to know that I am your most loyal subject. I know that my loyalty to Your Majesty has aroused Other people's envy of me. My meek nephew Granbell told me in the journey that the accusations against me are piled up at your feet. "My lord, I am going to plead my case before the accuser, to prove my integrity and purity of heart."

"You are a sweet talker, Fox, and everyone knows that," said the King sharply. "I don't want to hear your flattery. Here we want to know the truth." "My allegiance is by no means formed of words," replied Reynard. "Your Majesty may often make examinations, and I hope Your Majesty will not forget to do so." "But there is no respect or obedience in your loyalty." The king retorted, "I sent envoys to you yesterday, selected from all the people, but what have you done to them? Bear Bren and the tabby cat are here, look at their haggard, pale faces, and even bandages, how much pain you have caused them!"

"Oh, my lord," said Reynolds, a little exasperated, "it's so easy to push one's faults on another's. "Take Buren the bear for example. He was hungry for honey. I took him to a place where there was honey. I thought it was the master's duty. But he got carried away and threw his head rashly into the tree. I drilled into the crevice, but it couldn't get out. Is this also my fault? "As for Tibell the tabby cat, I invited him to dinner and slept at my house. Then he went to a neighbor's house by himself, intending to eat rats insatiably there. How did I know that a trap was installed there? He Will it be caught?

"I have been guarding outside, waiting for him to come out with concern, and want to take him home. But I can't fall into the hands of the peasants, so there is no way to save him. "For both of them, Your Majesty, gluttony is the root of trouble. What can I do?" Mrs. Fiel seemed to think that Reynard's words were very reasonable, and she expressed this meaning to her husband. "But," said the Lion, avoiding the subject bluntly, "we have to talk about earlier things. Reynard Fox, I have had so many accusations against you that I have to ask my priest to take it down. , he has used countless sheets of paper for this matter.

"The big bad wolf, Ethan Grand, also exposed your countless crimes." "He's talking nonsense," said Reynard, interrupting the King with some disrespect. "Ethan Grande is a shameless man. I shall duel him before I die. I have always treated him as lovingly as a faithful nephew treats his uncle in the past. I have done so even if we were not related of. "If I should die, then, Your Majesty, please give me one last grace, and let me fight Ethan Grande in front of you before I die." "Yes," said the king, "but there are many others who accuse you, Gudua the dog, Russo the squirrel, a chickadee, a crow, a crow, Kuar the hare, Panshan the beaver, etc. I will not list them all." Listed, because there are too many. It may be easier to say who did not accuse you.

"Reynard Fox, Chantecler was the last one to accuse you. He accused you of killing poor Copper, whose grave is here. You ate Chantecler's Lots of kids." "Your Majesty," replied Reynolds, "you know, I couldn't be any kinder than I am now. I confess that those cocks and hens attracted me entirely by instinct. I like them very much, Hate again. Ah! This is my nature, what can I do! "The way they scream at the slightest sign of trouble; and how ridiculously they learn to fly while running to escape their constant imaginary enemies makes me sick. I also hate their swaggering, pretending Bravery and an arrogant stance. They are dull-witted, but they think they are the greatest people in the world.

"But, Your Majesty, I am madly in love with... their fresh and tender meat and their delicate bones that would break when touched with my teeth. So, when these two feelings of mine are intertwined , I tamely confess to you that there is nothing more joyful than chewing cocks, capons, and hens, if my instincts prevail over my reason. Only then are my loves and my hates satisfied . "As for the others, it is because of greed, gluttony, clumsiness, and sometimes even bad luck that embarrasses them. These people have come here today to criticize me, and to tell the truth, it is not fair, my lord.

"Like me, they are perfectly capable of judgment, analysis and self-defense. "Could it be that Ethan Grande let his tail be cut off by a hunter in a frozen pond, can you blame me for not staying by his side and telling him not to catch more eels? "Could it be that he was attracted by his eagerness to share my happiness and his curiosity to see my behavior, and he should blame me for not dissuading him? This is his own fault, how can it be settled on my head? ? "Speaking of Tibbel's tail being run over by the farm's bread-box, it was because he was too heavy to escape from stealing butter. He never denied that I helped him in this matter. , and didn't get any benefit, right? Besides, he stole a sausage from me..."

"This sausage is mine, it's mine..." the puppy Gudua barked, interrupting Reynard's words. "Whoever gets it belongs to him!" Reynard said in a reprimanding tone, "Besides, Kuard the hare's complaints and Panshan the beaver's panic were unreasonable. "The Crow almost pecked out my eyes to see if I was still alive, can I bear him to do that? "Finally, Your Majesty must understand that I cannot let the greedy rabbit bully my little son Russell. Russell just took a cherry from the rabbit. Things that happened." After Reynard finished speaking, there was a commotion and protest all around, and it reached the king's ears.

The King was speaking softly to Madame Fierre. At this moment Ethan Grande approached the throne. "Your Majesty," he said, "Reynard's words are pure rhetoric, and you must not be fooled by him. "According to him, he's more innocent than a newborn lamb! But it's his words that have deceived us all and made us suffer. "Don't believe him, Your Majesty, or our cause will suffer!" Noble the Lion turned his head and looked at the person who made the bold admonition. "Why," he roared, "can't I tell right from wrong? Am I a child to be taught, or a helpless king?" Ethan Grande was ashamed and fell silent. "I know you reproach Reynard personally," said the king. "In other matters, he committed crimes in his own strength and wisdom, and there is nothing to say, but, Regarding what happened to you, I completely agree with him: you two seem to be on the same page, and you can defend yourself against his attack! "Therefore, I fully agree with him that you two have a duel. I think that is the most legitimate way of distinguishing between you. "As for other situations, I have to think about it before making a judgment."