As soon as Smirre Fox saw her, he left
his place under the beech tree, and sneaked up toward her. The wild
goose didn't avoid the fox, but flew very close to him. Smirre made a
high jump for her but he missed her; and the goose went on her way down
to the lake.
It was not long before another goose came flying. She took the same
route as the first one; and flew still lower and slower. She, too, flew
close to Smirre Fox, and he made such a high spring for her, that his
ears brushed her feet. But she, too, got away from him unhurt, and went
her way toward the lake, silent as a shadow.
A little while passed and then there came another wild goose. She flew
still slower and lower; and it seemed even more difficult for her to
find her way between the beech-branches. Smirre made a powerful spring!
He was within a hair's breadth of catching her; but that goose also
managed to save herself.
Just after she had disappeared, came a fourth. She flew so slowly, and
so badly, that Smirre Fox thought he could catch her without much
effort, but he was afraid of failure now, and concluded to let her fly
past--unmolested. She took the same direction the others had taken; and
just as she was come right above Smirre, she sank down so far that he
was tempted to jump for her. He jumped so high that he touched her with
his tail.
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