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　his　friends。　But　Quick…ear；　who　had　heard　this　counsel；　informed　his　comrades；　and　while　the　dust　was　rising　to　the　sky　from　the　trampling　of　those　who　were　coming　to　unload　the　rich　cargo；　Blow…blast；　seeing　that　things　were　come　to　a　bad　pass；　began　to　blow　at　such　a　rate　that　he　not　only　made　the　enemies　fall　flat　on　the　ground；　but　he　sent　them　flying　more　than　a　mile　distant；　as　the　north　wind　does　the　folks　who　pass　through　that　country。　So　without　meeting　any　more　hindrance；　Moscione　arrived　at　his　father's　house；　where　he　shared　the　booty　with　his　companions；　since；　as　the　saying　goes；　a　good　deed　deserves　a　good　meed。　So　he　sent　them　away　content　and　happy；　but　he　stayed　with　his　father；　rich　beyond　measure；　and　saw　himself　a　simpleton　laden　with　gold；　not　giving　the　lie　to　the　　saying

　　　　　〃Heaven　sends　biscuits　to　him　who　has　no　teeth。〃



XX

THE　STONE　IN　THE　COCK'S　HEAD

　The　robber's　wife　does　not　always　laugh；　he　who　weaves　fraud　works　his　own　ruin；　there　is　no　deceit　which　is　not　at　last　discovered；　no　treachery　that　does　not　come　to　light；　walls　have　ears；　and　are　spies　to　rogues；　the　earth　gapes　and　discovers　theft；　as　I　will　prove　to　you　if　you　pay　attention。

There　was　once　in　the　city　of　Dark…Grotto　a　certain　man　named　Minecco　Aniello；　who　was　so　persecuted　by　fortune　that　all　his　fixtures　and　moveables　consisted　only　of　a　short…legged　cock；　which　he　had　reared　upon　bread…crumbs。　But　one　morning；　being　pinched　with　appetite　（for　hunger　drives　the　wolf　from　the　thicket）；　he　took　it　into　his　head　to　sell　the　cock；　and；　taking　it　to　the　market；　he　met　two　thievish　magicians；　with　whom　he　made　a　bargain；　and　sold　it　for　half…a…crown。　So　they　told　him　to　take　it　to　their　house；　and　they　would　count　him　out　the　money。　Then　the　magicians　went　their　way；　and；　Minecco　Aniello　following　them；　overheard　them　talking　gibberish　together　and　saying；　〃Who　would　have　told　us　that　we　should　meet　with　such　a　piece　of　good　luck；　Jennarone？　This　cock　will　make　our　fortune　to　a　certainty　by　the　stone　which；　you　know；　he　has　in　his　pate。　We　will　quickly　have　it　set　in　a　ring；　and　then　we　shall　have　everything　we　can　ask　for。〃

〃Be　quiet；　Jacovuccio；〃　answered　Jennarone；　〃I　see　myself　rich　and　can　hardly　believe　it；　and　I　am　longing　to　twist　the　cock's　neck　and　give　a　kick　in　the　face　of　beggary；　for　in　this　world　virtue　without　money　goes　for　nothing；　and　a　man　is　judged　of　by　his　coat。〃

When　Minecco　Aniello；　who　had　travelled　about　in　the　world　and　eaten　bread　from　more　than　one　oven；　heard　this　gibberish　he　turned　on　his　heel　and　scampered　off。　And；　running　home；　he　twisted　the　cock's　neck；　and　opening　its　head　found　the　stone；　which　he　had　instantly　set　in　a　brass　ring。　Then；　to　make　a　trial　of　its　virtue；　he　said；　〃I　wish　to　become　a　youth　eighteen　years　old。〃

Hardly　had　he　uttered　the　words　when　his　blood　began　to　flow　more　quickly；　his　nerves　became　stronger；　his　limbs　firmer；　his　flesh　fresher；　his　eyes　more　fiery；　his　silver　hairs　were　turned　into　gold；　his　mouth；　which　was　a　sacked　village；　became　peopled　with　teeth；　his　beard；　which　was　as　thick　as　a　wood；　became　like　a　nursery　gardenin　short；　he　was　changed　to　a　most　beautiful　youth。　Then　he　said　again；　〃I　wish　for　a　splendid　palace；　and　to　marry　the　King's　daughter。〃　And　lo！　there　instantly　appeared　a　palace　of　incredible　magnificence；　in　which　were　apartments　that　would　amaze　you；　columns　to　astound　you；　pictures　to　fill　you　with　wonder；　silver　glittered　around；　and　gold　was　trodden　underfoot；　the　jewels　dazzled　your　eyes；　the　servants　swarmed　like　ants；　the　horses　and　carriages　were　not　to　be　countedin　short；　there　was　such　a　display　of　riches　that　the　King　stared　at　the　sight；　and　willingly　gave　him　his　daughter　Natalizia。

Meanwhile　the　magicians；　having　discovered　Minecco　Aniello's　great　wealth；　laid　a　plan　to　rob　him　of　his　good　fortune；　so　they　made　a　pretty　little　doll　which　played　and　danced　by　means　of　clockwork；　and；　dressing　themselves　like　merchants；　they　went　to　Pentella；　the　daughter　of　Minecco　Aniello；　under　pretext　of　selling　it　to　her。　When　Pentella　saw　the　beautiful　little　thing　she　asked　them　what　price　they　put　upon　it；　and　they　replied　that　it　was　not　to　be　bought　with　money；　but　that　she　might　have　it　and　welcome　if　she　would　only　do　them　a　favour；　which　was　to　let　them　see　the　make　of　the　ring　which　her　father　possessed；　in　order　to　take　the　model　and　make　another　like　it；　then　they　would　give　her　the　doll　without　any　payment　at　all。

Pentella；　who　had　never　heard　the　proverb；　〃Think　well　before　you　buy　anything　cheap；〃　instantly　accepted　this　offer；　and；　bidding　them　return　the　next　morning；　she　promised　to　ask　her　father　to　lend　her　the　ring。　So　the　magicians　went　away；　and　when　her　father　returned　home　Pentella　coaxed　and　caressed　him；　until　at　last　she　persuaded　him　to　give　her　the　ring；　making　the　excuse　that　she　was　sad　at　heart；　and　wished　to　divert　her　mind　a　little。

When　the　next　day　came；　as　soon　as　the　scavenger　of　the　Sun　sweeps　the　last　traces　of　the　Shades　from　the　streets　and　squares　of　Heaven；　the　magicians　returned；　and　no　sooner　had　they　the　ring　in　their　hands　than　they　instantly　vanished；　and　not　a　trace　of　them　was　to　be　seen；　so　that　poor　Pentella　had　like　to　have　died　with　terror。

But　when　the　magicians　came　to　a　wood；　where　the　branches　of　some　of　the　trees　were　dancing　the　sword…dance；　and　the　boughs　of　the　others　were　playing　together　at　hot…cockles；　they　desired　the　ring　to　destroy　the　spell　by　which　the　old　man　had　become　young　again。　And　instantly　Minecco　Aniello；　who　was　just　at　that　moment　in　the　presence　of　the　King；　was　suddenly　seen　to　grow　hoary；　his　hairs　to　whiten；　his　forehead　to　wrinkle；　his　eyebrows　to　grow　bristly；　his　eyes　to　sink　in；　his　face　to　be　furrowed；　his　mouth　to　become　toothless；　his　beard　to　grow　bushy；　his　back　to　be　humped；　his　legs　to　tremble；　and；　above　all；　his　glittering　garments　to　turn　to　rags　and　tatters。

The　King；　seeing　the　miserable　beggar　seated　beside　him　at　table；　ordered　him　to　be　instantly　driven　away　with　blows　and　hard　words；　whereupon　Aniello；　thus　suddenly　fallen　from　his　good　luck；　went　weeping　to　his　daughter；　and　asked　for　the　ring　in　order　to　set　matters　to　rights　again。　But　when　he　heard　the　fatal　trick　played　by　the　false　merchants　he　was　ready　to　throw　himself　out　of　the　window；　cursing　a　thousand　times　the　ignorance　of　his　daughter；　who；　for　the　sake　of　a　silly　doll　had　turned　him　into　a　miserable　scarecrow；　and　for　a　paltry　thing　of　rags　had　brought　him　to　rags　himself；　adding　that　he　was　resolved　to　go　wandering　about　the　world　like　a　bad　shilling；　until　he　should　get　tidings　of　those　merchants。　So　saying　he　threw　a　cloak　about　his　neck　and　a　wallet　on　his　back；　drew　his　sandals　on　his　feet；　took　a　staff　in　his　hand；　and；　leaving　his　daughter　all　chilled　and　frozen；　he　set　out　walking　desperately　on　and　on　until　he　arrived　at　the　kingdom　of　Deep…Hole；　inhabited　by　the　mice；　where；　being　taken　for　a　big　spy　of　the　cats；　he　was　instantly　led　before　Rosecone；　the　King。　Then　the　King　asked　him　who　he　was；　whence　he　came；　and　what　he　was　about　in　that　country；　and　Minecco　Aniello；　after　first　giving　the　King　a　cheese…paring；　in　sign　of　tribute；　related　to　him　all　his　misfortunes　one　by　one；　and　concluded　by　saying　that　he　was　resolved　to　continue　his　toil　and　travel；　until　he　should　get　tidings　of　those　thievish　villains　who　had　robbed　him　of　so　precious　a　jewel；　taking　from　him　at　once　the　flower　of　his　youth；　the　source　of　his　wealth；　and　the　prop　of　his　honour。

At　these　words　Rosecone　felt　pity　nibbling　at　his　heart；　and；　wishing　to　comfort　the　poor　man；　he　summoned　the　eldest　mice　to　a　council；　and　asked　their　opinions　on　the　misfortunes　of　Minecco　Aniello；　commanding　them　to　use　all　diligence　and　endeavour　to　obtain　some　tidings　of　these　false　merchants。　Now；　among　the　rest；　it　happened　that　Rudolo　and　Saltariello　were　presentmice　who　were　well　used　to　the　ways　of　the　world；　and　had　lived　for　six　years　at　a　tavern　of　great　resort　hard　by；　and　they　said　to　Aniello；　〃Be　of　good　heart；　comrade！　matters　will　turn　out　better　than　you　imagine。　You　must　know　that　one　day；　when　we　were　in　a　room　in　the　hostelry　of　the　　Horn；'　where　the　most　famous　men　in　the　world　lodge　and　make　merry；　two　persons　from　Hook　Castle　came　in；　who；　after　they　had　eaten　their　fill　and　had　seen　the　bottom　of　their　flagon；　fell　to　talking　of　a　trick　they　had　played　a　certain　old　man　of　Dark…Grotto；　and　how　they　had　cheated　him　out　of　a　stone　of　great　value；　which　one　of　them；　named　Jennarone；　said　he　would　never　take　from　his　finger；　that　he　might　not　run　the　risk　of　losing　it　as　the　old　man's　daughter　had　done。〃

When　Minecco　Aniello　heard　this；　he　told　the　two　mice　that　if　they　would　trust　themselves　to　accompany　him　to　the　country　where　these　rogues　lived　and　recover　the　ring　for　him；　he　would　give　them　a　good　lot　of　cheese　and　salt　meat；　which　they　might　eat　and　enjoy　with　his　majesty　the　King。　Then　the　two　mice；　after　bargaining　for　a　reward；　offered　to　go　over　sea　and　mountain；　and；　taking　leave　of　his　mousy　majesty；　they　set　out。

After　journeying　a　long　way　they　arrived　at　Hook　Castle；　where　the　mice　told　Minecco　Aniello　to　remain　under　some　trees　on　the