Meanwhile the lord of the castle was abroad chasing the fox; awhile he
lost him, and as he rode through a spinney he heard the hounds near at
hand, and Reynard came creeping through a thick grove, with all the pack
at his heels. Then the lord drew out his shining brand, and cast it at
the beast, and the fox swerved aside for the sharp edge, and would have
doubled back, but a hound was on him ere he might turn, and right before
the horse’s feet they all fell on him, and worried him fiercely,
snarling the while.
Then the lord leapt from his saddle, and caught the fox from their jaws,
and held it aloft over his head, and hallooed loudly, and the hunters
hied them thither, blowing their horns; all that bare bugles blew them
at once, and all the others shouted. ’Twas the merriest meeting that
ever men heard, the clamour that was raised at the death of the fox.
They rewarded the hounds, stroking them and rubbing their heads, and
took Reynard and stripped him of his coat; then blowing their horns,
they turned them homewards, for it was nigh nightfall.