The Mythology & Folklore Database
One day the bear was lying eating a horse which he had killed. Reynard was about again and came slinking along, his mouth watering for a tasty bit of the horseflesh. He sneaked in and out and round about till he came up behind the bear, when he made a spring to the other side of the carcass, snatching a piece as he jumped across.
The bear was not slow either. He made a dash after Reynard and caught the tip of his red tail in his paw. Since that time the fox has always had a white tip to his tail.
"Wait a bit, Reynard, and come here," said the bear, "and I'll teach you how to catch horses."
Yes, Reynard was quite willing to learn that, but he didn't trust himself too near the bear.
"When you see a horse lying asleep in a sunny place," said the bear, "you must tie yourself fast with the hair of his tail to your brush, and then fasten your teeth in his thigh," he said.
Before long the fox found a horse lying asleep on a sunny hillside, and so he did as the bear had told him. He knotted and tied himself well to the horse with the hair of the tail and then fastened his teeth into his thigh.
Up jumped the horse and began to kick and gallop, so that Reynard was dashed against stock and stone, and was so bruised and battered that he nearly lost his senses.
All at once a hare rushed by. "Where are you off to in such a hurry, Reynard?" asked the hare.
"I'm having a ride, Bunny!" said the fox.
The hare sat up on his hind legs and laughed till the sides of his mouth split right up to his ears, at the thought of Reynard having such a grand ride; but since then the fox has never thought of catching horses again.
That time it was Bruin who for once had the better of Reynard. Otherwise, they say the bear is as simple minded as the trolls.