Brewer's: Reynard the Fox

The hero in the beast-epic of the fourteenth century. This prose poem is a satire on the state of Germany in the Middle Ages. Reynard typifies the church; his uncle, Isengrin the wolf, typifies the baronial element; and Nodel the lion, the regal. The word means deep counsel or wit. (Gothic, raginohart, cunning in counsel; Old Norse, hreinn and ard; German, reincke.) Reynard is commonly used as a synonym of fox.

(Heinrich von Alkmaar.)

“Where prowling Reynard trod his nightly round.”

Bloomfield: Farmer's Boy.

With greater guile False Reynard fed on consecrated spoil; The graceless beast by Athanasius first Was chased from Nice, then by Socinus nursed.

Part i. 51-54.

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