Reynard the Fox. The Triumph of the Individual in a Beast Epic

‘Reynard the Fox' (Van den Vos reynaerde) was written around 1260 by a certain Willem, part of it being an extremely free version of a French tale. Even if Reynard the Fox is portrayed as a ruthless villain, it is actually inconceivable that he should ever be regarded as anything but the waggish rogue who above all exposes a thoroughly rotten society rooted in a and power. Does he not demonstrate the age-old truth that evil can countered with evil? (with a translated extract from ‘Reynard the Fox' )