Engang fødte ulvens kone en dreng og bad ræven stå fadder. "Den er jo dog nær i familie med os," tænkte hun, "og har en god forstand og er en flink fyr og kan lære vores søn en hel del og hjælpe ham til at komme frem i verden." Ræven kom da også meget pænt og sagde: "Mange tak for den ære, I viser mig. Jeg skal nok gøre mig værdig til den, så I skal få glæde af mig." Ved festen lod han sig maden rigtig smage og var meget lystig og sagde bagefter: "Kære fru Ulv. Det er vores pligt at sørge for barnet, og I må have rigtig god føde, så det kan få mange kræfter. Der er en fårestald herhenne, hvor vi meget let kan få fat i en god bid." Ulven blev lækkersulten, og hun og ræven gik hen til bondegården. I lang afstand viste han hende stalden og sagde: "Der kan I krybe ind uden at nogen ser det. Jeg vil imidlertid prøve min lykke ad anden vej og se, om jeg ikke kan få fat i en høne." Den gik imidlertid ganske roligt hen til indgangen af skoven og lagde sig ned der og hvilede sig. Ulven krøb ind i stalden, men der lå en hund og gøede sådan, at bønderne kom løbende og fik fat i ulven og tampede den ordentligt igennem. Endelig slap den ud og slæbte sig af sted hen til ræven, der lå og klagede sig ynkeligt. "Jeg er rigtignok blevet ilde medtaget," sagde den, "bønderne har overfaldet mig og slået mig sønder og sammen, og hvis I ikke kan hjælpe mig af sted, må jeg blive liggende her og dø ar sult." Ulven kunne kun selv gå med stort besvær, men var dog så ængstelig for ræven, at hun tog den på ryggen, og langsomt bar den fuldstændig raske gudfar hjem til sit hus. "Farvel, kære fru Ulv," råbte den og lo af fuld hals, "lad stegen smage eder godt." Derpå løb den sin vej.
The she-wolf brought forth a young one, and invited the fox to be godfather. "After all, he is a near relative of ours," said she, "he has a good understanding, and much talent; he can instruct my little son, and help him forward in the world." The fox, too, appeared quite honest, and said, "Worthy Mrs. Gossip, I thank you for the honour which you are doing me; I will, however, conduct myself in such a way that you shall be repaid for it." He enjoyed himself at the feast, and made merry; afterwards he said, "Dear Mrs. Gossip, it is our duty to take care of the child, it must have good food that it may be strong. I know a sheep-fold from which we might fetch a nice morsel." The wolf was pleased with the ditty, and she went out with the fox to the farm-yard. He pointed out the fold from afar, and said, "You will be able to creep in there without being seen, and in the meantime I will look about on the other side to see if I can pick up a chicken." He, however, did not go there, but sat down at the entrance to the forest, stretched his legs and rested. The she-wolf crept into the stable. A dog was lying there, and it made such a noise that the peasants came running out, caught Gossip Wolf, and poured a strong burning mixture, which had been prepared for washing, over her skin. At last she escaped, and dragged herself outside. There lay the fox, who pretended to be full of complaints, and said, "Ah, dear Mistress Gossip, how ill I have fared, the peasants have fallen on me, and have broken every limb I have; if you do not want me to lie where I am and perish, you must carry me away." The she-wolf herself was only able to go away slowly, but she was in such concern about the fox that she took him on her back, and slowly carried him perfectly safe and sound to her house. Then the fox cried to her, "Farewell, dear Mistress Gossip, may the roasting you have had do you good," laughed heartily at her, and bounded off.