Lupul se intovarasise cu vulpea, dar prietenia asta nu prea ii convenea cumetrei roscovane, caci lupul, fiind mai puternic, ii poruncea vulpii sa faca orice ii trecea prin minte, iar ea trebuia sa se supuna.Vulpea isi dorea din tot sufletul sa scape de stapanul ei, lupul, dar nu stia cum sa faca asta.
Intr-o zi, pe cand mergeau prin padure, lupul a spus: Hei, vulpe roscata, du-te indata sa imi aduci ceva de mancare, ca de nu, te voi manca pe tine. La aceasta, vulpea i-a raspuns: "Stiu prin apropiere o gospodarie in care sunt doi miei; daca binevoiesti, putem merge intr-acolo sa furam unul din ei." Vorbele acesteau l-au uns la suflet pe lup, asa ca au pornit catre gospodarie si, odata ajunsi acolo, vulpea a insfacat un miel micut, l-a adus lupului si , apoi, s-a dus in padure, lasandu-si tovarasul sa se ospateze.
Bietul mielusel striga, insa, inecat de hohote de plans, iar mama lui l-a auzit si a inceput si ea sa urle din toate puterile.Harmalaia era atat de mare incat taranul, care stapanea peste gospodarie, a iesit in fuga din casa pentru a vedea ce se intampla.El a dat peste lup si l-a batut cu atata incrancenare, incat acesta abia a reusit sa scape cu fuga. Schiopatand si urland de durere, lupul a ajuns-o din urma pe vulpe. M-ai sfatuit cum nu se poate mai prost, a spus el; Voiam sa pun laba si peste celalalt miel, dar taranul m-a vazut si mi-a tras o bataie sora cu moartea. Vulpea i-a raspuns. Ce sa-ti fac daca esti asa de lacom? Un singur miel nu iti era de ajuns?
A doua zi , in timp ce mergeau prin padure, lupul cel hulpav a spus din nou, Hei, vulpe roscovana, adu-mi repede ceva de imbucat ca de nu, am sa te inghit pe tine. Vulpea i-a zis indata: Stiu o gospodarie in care nevasta unui taran va coace diseara niste turte; putem sa mergem intr-acolo si sa ne infruptam cu cateva din ele. Zis si facut. Cei doi s-au indreptat catre casa gospodinei, vulpea s-a furisat prinprejur si a inceput sa traga cu ochiul si sa adulmece pana cand a descoperit locul unde era asezata farfuria cu turte. S-a repezit la ea si a insfacat sase turte pe care le-a adus lupului. Iata, ti-am adus ceva sa mananci, i-a zis ea lupului, si apoi si-a vazut de drum catre codru.Lupul a mancat dintr-o inghititura toate turtele si si-a spus in sinea lui: Hm ,as mai imbuca un rand din bunatatile astea, asa ca s-a dus catre casa si a apucat in colti toata farfuria cu turte. Farfuria a cazut insa pe podea si s-a facut tandari.Lucru asta a facut un zgomot asa de mare incat gospodina a venit in fuga si, cand l-a vazut pe lup, a inceput sa strige dupa ajutor. Pe data s-au ivit si alti oameni, care l-au batut cu ciomegele atat de rau, ca lupul abia a reusit sa scape, alergand in doua picioare. Urland cu jale si tremurand de durere, lupul a intalnit-o pe vulpe in padure. Un plan mai prost ca sta nici ca se putea sa ai, a strigat el, furios, Taranii au pus mana pe mine si mi-au tabacit toata blana.Vulpea, insa, i-a raspuns: Ce sa-ti fac daca esti asa de lacom? Nu puteai sa te multumesti cu cele sase turte?
In cea de-a treia zi, lupul, abia mai putand sa paseasca de atata durere, a spus din nou: Hei, vulpe roscovana, daca nu imi aduci ceva de imbucat, am sa te mananc cu tot cu coada. Vulpea i-a zis: Stiu un om care tocmai a taiat niste vite, iar carnea sarata a pus-o intr-un butoi din pivnita lui. Putem sa mergem si sa i-o furam. Lupul, multumit, i-a spus: Bine, voi merge cu tine, dar va trebui sa ma ajuti daca nu reusesc sa scap de unul singur. Asa voi face, a spus vulpea si a pornit inainte, aratandu-i lupului cararile si cotloanele prin care se ajungea la pivnita. Odata ajunsi acolo, au gasit butoiul plin de carne gustoasa, iar lupul s-a repezit de indata sa infulece, gandindu-se: Miam, am o multime de timp ca sa-mi potolesc foamea inainte de a pleca de aici. Vulpea gusta si ea cu placere din carne, dar, in acelasi timp, isi lasa ochii sa iscodeasca in toate partile, sa vada daca nu venea cineva si, din cand in cand, alerga catre gaura prin care intrasera in pivnita, ca sa vada daca nu cumva trupul i se umflase de prea multa mancare si mai putea iesi din prin gaura aceea stramta.
La un moment dat, lupul a zis: Spune-mi si mie, draga vulpita, de ce tot alergi de colo – colo si nu ai deloc astampar? Vicleana vulpe i-a raspuns: Trebuie sa vad daca nu apare vreun om incoace.Ai grija si nu te indopa prea tare! Lupul, insa, i-a raspuns: Nu voi pleca de aici pana nu golesc de carne tot butoiul. In timpul acesta, taranul care stapanea peste casa a auzit zgomotul facut de sariturile vulpii si a intrat in pivnita.Atunci cand l-a vazut, vulpea a zbughit-o prin gaura intr-o clipita. Lupul a vrut si el sa o ia la fuga dupa vulpe, dar burta i se umflase asa de mult de la mancare incat nu mai incapea prin gaura. S-a chinuit cat s-a chinuit lupul sa scape , dar nu a facut altceva decat sa ramana intepenit in gaura prin care isi cauta scaparea. Taranul atata astepta! I-a tras o bataie cu ghioaga lacomului lup pana cand acesta si-a dat zilele, iar vulpea a alergat voioasa in padure, multumita ca a scapat de stapanul ei cel hulpav.
The wolf had the fox with him, and whatsoever the wolf wished, that the fox was compelled to do, for he was the weaker, and he would gladly have been rid of his master. It chanced that once as they were going through the forest, the wolf said, "Red-fox, get me something to eat, or else I will eat thee thyself." Then the fox answered, "I know a farm-yard where there are two young lambs; if thou art inclined, we will fetch one of them." That suited the wolf, and they went thither, and the fox stole the little lamb, took it to the wolf, and went away. The wolf devoured it, but was not satisfied with one; he wanted the other as well, and went to get it. As, however, he did it so awkwardly, the mother of the little lamb heard him, and began to cry out terribly, and to bleat so that the farmer came running there. They found the wolf, and beat him so mercilessly, that he went to the fox limping and howling. "Thou hast misled me finely," said he; "I wanted to fetch the other lamb, and the country folks surprised me, and have beaten me to a jelly." The fox replied, "Why art thou such a glutton?"
Next day they again went into the country, and the greedy wolf once more said, "Red-fox, get me something to eat, or I will eat thee thyself." Then answered the fox, "I know a farm-house where the wife is baking pancakes to-night; we will get some of them for ourselves." They went there, and the fox slipped round the house, and peeped and sniffed about until he discovered where the dish was, and then drew down six pancakes and carried them to the wolf. "There is something for thee to eat," said he to him, and then went his way. The wolf swallowed down the pancakes in an instant, and said, "They make one want more," and went thither and tore the whole dish down so that it broke in pieces. This made such a great noise that the woman came out, and when she saw the wolf she called the people, who hurried there, and beat him as long as their sticks would hold together, till with two lame legs, and howling loudly, he got back to the fox in the forest. "How abominably thou hast misled me!" cried he, "the peasants caught me, and tanned my skin for me." But the fox replied, "Why art thou such a glutton?"
Next day they again went into the country, and the greedy wolf once more said, "Red-fox, get me something to eat, or I will eat thee thyself." Then answered the fox, "I know a farm-house where the wife is baking pancakes to-night; we will get some of them for ourselves." They went there, and the fox slipped round the house, and peeped and sniffed about until he discovered where the dish was, and then drew down six pancakes and carried them to the wolf. "There is something for thee to eat," said he to him, and then went his way. The wolf swallowed down the pancakes in an instant, and said, "They make one want more," and went thither and tore the whole dish down so that it broke in pieces. This made such a great noise that the woman came out, and when she saw the wolf she called the people, who hurried there, and beat him as long as their sticks would hold together, till with two lame legs, and howling loudly, he got back to the fox in the forest. "How abominably thou hast misled me!" cried he, "the peasants caught me, and tanned my skin for me." But the fox replied, "Why art thou such a glutton?"
On the third day, when they were out together, and the wolf could only limp along painfully, he again said, "Red-fox, get me something to eat, or I will eat thee thyself." The fox answered, "I know a man who has been killing, and the salted meat is lying in a barrel in the cellar; we will get that." Said the wolf, "I will go when thou dost, that thou mayest help me if I am not able to get away." - "I am willing," said the fox, and showed him the by-paths and ways by which at length they reached the cellar. There was meat in abundance, and the wolf attacked it instantly and thought, "There is plenty of time before I need leave off!" The fox liked it also, but looked about everywhere, and often ran to the hole by which they had come in, and tried if his body was still thin enough to slip through it. The wolf said, "Dear fox, tell me why thou art running here and there so much, and jumping in and out?"
"I must see that no one is coming," replied the crafty fellow. "Don't eat too much!" Then said the wolf, "I shall not leave until the barrel is empty." In the meantime the farmer, who had heard the noise of the fox's jumping, came into the cellar. When the fox saw him he was out of the hole at one bound. The wolf wanted to follow him, but he had made himself so fat with eating that he could no longer get through, but stuck fast. Then came the farmer with a cudgel and struck him dead, but the fox bounded into the forest, glad to be rid of the old glutton.