"
The young girl entered the fountain. The serpent darted toward her, but as
soon as he showed his head the young man struck it with his stick and made
it fly away. He did the same to the next head until the serpent was dead.
All the people of the city came to draw water. The King said:
"Who has done this?"
"It is he," they cried, "the stranger who arrived yesterday." The King gave
him his daughter and named him his lieutenant The wedding-feast lasted
seven days. My story is finished before my resources are exhausted.
* * * * *
HALF-A-COCK
In times past there was a man who had two wives, and one was wise and one
was foolish. They owned a cock in common. One day they quarrelled about the
cock, cut it in two, and each took half. The foolish wife cooked her part.
The wise one let her part live, and it walked on one foot and had only one
wing. Some days passed thus. Then the half-a-cock got up early, and started
on his pilgrimage. At the middle of the day he was tired and went toward a
brook to rest. A jackal came there to drink.
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