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ave。
The next morning the fox came round again。
'Give me another basket of pears；' he said。
'Very well； little fox； but remember it may cost me my life；' answered the youth。
'Oh； leave it to me； and do as I tell you； and you will see that in the end it will bring you luck；' answered the fox； and plucking the pears he took them up to the king。
'My master； Count Piro； sends you these pears；' he said； 'and asks for an answer to his proposal。'
'Tell the count that the wedding can take place whenever he pleases；' answered the king； and； filled with pride； the fox trotted back to deliver his message。
'But I can't bring the princess here； little fox？' cried the young man in dismay。
'You leave everything to me；' answered the fox； ' have I not managed well so far？'
And up at the palace preparations were made for a grand wedding； and the youth was married to the princess。
After a week of feasting； the fox said to the king： 'My master wishes to take his young bride home to his own castle。'
'Very well； I will accompany them；' replied the king； and he ordered his courtiers and attendants to get ready； and the best horses in his stable to be brought out for himself； Count Piro and the princess。 So they all set out； and rode across the plain； the little fox running before them。
He stopped at the sight of a great flock of sheep； which was feeding peacefully on the rich grass。 'To whom do these sheep belong？' asked he of the shepherd。 'To an ogre；' replied the shepherd。
'Hush；' said the fox in a mysterious manner。 'Do you see that crowd of armed men riding along？ If you were to tell them that those sheep belonged to an ogre； they would kill them； and then the ogre would kill you！ If they ask； just say the sheep belong to Count Piro； it will be better for everybody。' And the fox ran hastily on； as he did not wish to be seen talking to the shepherd。
Very soon the king came up。
'What beautiful sheep！' he said； drawing up his horse。 'I have none so fine in my pastures。 Whose are they？'
'Count Piro's；' answered the shepherd； who did not know the king。
'Well； he must be a very rich man；' thought the king to himself； and rejoiced that he had such a wealthy son…in…law。
Meanwhile the fox had met with a huge herd of pigs； snuffling about the roots of some trees。
'To whom do these pigs belong？' he asked of the swineherd。
'To an ogre；' replied he。
'Hush！' whispered the fox； though nobody could hear him； 'do you see that troop of armed men riding towards us？ If you tell them that the pigs belong to the ogre they will kill them； and then the ogre will kill you！ If they ask； just say that the pigs belong to Count Piro； it will be better for everybody。' And he ran hastily on。
Soon after the king rode up。
'What fine pigs！' he said； reining in his horse。 'They are fatter than any I have got on my farms。 Whose are they？'
'Count Piro's；' answered the swineherd； who did not know the king； and again the king felt he was lucky to have such a rich son…in…law。
This time the fox ran faster than before； and in a flowery meadow he found a troop of horses feeding。 'Whose horses are these？' he asked of the man who was watching them。
'An ogre's；' replied he。
'Hush！' whispered the fox； 'do you see that crowd of armed men coming towards us？ If you tell them the horses belong to an ogre they will drive them off； and then the ogre will kill you！ If they ask； just say they are Count Piro's； it will be better for everybody。' And he ran on again。
In a few minutes the king rode up。
'Oh； what lovely creatures！ how I wish they were mine！' he exclaimed。 'Whose are they？'
Count Piro's；' answered the man； who did not know the king； and the king's heart leapt as he thought that if they belonged to his rich son…in…law they were as good as his。
At last the fox came to the castle of the ogre himself。 He ran up the steps； with tears falling from his eyes； and crying：
'Oh； you poor； poor people； what a sad fate is yours！'
'What has happened？' asked the ogre； trembling with fright。
'Do you see that troop of horsemen who are riding along the road？ They are sent by the king to kill you！'
'Oh； dear little fox； help us； we implore you！' cried the ogre and his wife。
'Well； I will do what I can；' answered the fox。 'The best place is for you both to hide in the big oven； and when the soldiers have gone by I will let you out。'
The ogre and ogress scrambled into the oven as quick as thought； and the fox banged the door on them； just as he did so the king came up。
'Do us the honour to dismount； your Majesty；' said the fox； bowing low。 'This is the palace of Count Piro！'
'Why it is more splendid than my own！' exclaimed the king； looking round on all the beautiful things that filled the hall。 But why are there no servants？'
'His Excellency the Count Piro wished the princess to choose them for herself；' answered the fox； and the king nodded his approval。 He then rode on； leaving the bridal pair in the castle。 But when it was dark and all was still； the fox crept downstairs and lit the kitchen fire； and the ogre and his wife were burned to death。 The next morning the fox said to Count Piro：
'Now that you are rich and happy； you have no more need of me； but； before I go； there is one thing I must ask of you in return： when I die； promise me that you will give me a magnificent coffin； and bury me with due honours。'
'Oh； little； little fox； don't talk of dying；' cried the princess； nearly weeping； for she had taken a great liking to the fox。
After some time the fox thought he would see if the Count Piro was really grateful to him for all he had done； and went back to the castle； where he lay down on the door…step； and pretended to be dead。 The princess was just going out for a walk； and directly she saw him lying there； she burst into tears and fell on her knees beside him。
'My dear little fox； you are not dead；' she wailed； 'you poor； poor little creature； you shall have the finest coffin in the world！'
'A coffin for an animal？' said Count Piro。 'What nonsense！ just take him by the leg and throw him into the ditch。'
Then the fox sprang up and cried： 'You wretched； thankless beggar； have you forgotten that you owe all your riches to me？'
Count Piro was frightened when he heard these words； as he thought that perhaps the fox might have power to take away the castle； and leave him as poor as when he had nothing to eat but the pears off his tree。 So he tried to soften the fox's anger； saying that he had only spoken in joke； as he had known quite well that he was not really dead。 For the sake of the princess； the fox let himself be softened； and he lived in the castle for many years； and played with Count Piro's children。 And when he actually did die； his coffin was made of silver； and Count Piro and his wife followed him to the grave。
＇From Sicilianische Mahrchen。＇
The Rogue And The Herdsman
In a tiny cottage near the king's palace there once lived an old man； his wife； and his son； a very lazy fellow； who would never do a stroke of work。 He could not be got even to look after their one cow； but left her to look after herself； while he lay on a bank and w