y the last of them, coming along the path. On looking
narrowly at this beast, he remembered that it was the same which he had
freed from its imprisonment in the pit. The lion signified with his foot
that he should take the loaded asses, and go home. This Guido did, and
the lion followed. When he had come to his own door, the noble beast
fawned upon him, and wagging his tail as if in triumph, ran back to the
woods. Guido caused proclamation to be made in different churches,[7]
that if any asses had been lost, the owners should come to him; but no
one appearing to demand them, he opened the packages, and to his great
joy discovered them full of money.

On the second day Guido returned to the forest, but forgot an iron
instrument to cleave the wood. He looked up, and saw the monkey whom he
had set free; and the animal, by help of teeth and nails, worked for
him. Guido then loaded his asses and went home.

The next day he renewed his visit to the forest; and sitting down to
prepare his axe, discerned the serpent, whose escape he had aided,
carrying a stone in its mouth of three colours; the one white, another
black, and the third red. It opened its mouth and let the stone fall
into Guido's lap. Having done this, it departed. Guido took the stone to
a skilful lapidary, who had no sooner inspected it than he knew its
virtues, and would willingly have paid him a hundred florins for it. But
Guido refused; and by means of that singular stone, obtained great
wealth, and was promoted to a military command.

The emperor having heard of the extraordinary qualities which it
possessed, desired to see it. Guido went accordingly; and the emperor
was so struck with its uncommon beauty, that he wished to purchase it at
any rate; and threatened, if Guido refused compliance, to banish him
the kingdom.

"My lord," answered he, "I will sell the stone; but let me say one
thing--if the price be not given, it shall be presently restored to me."

He demanded three hundred florins, and then taking it from a small
coffer, put it into the emperor's hands. Full of admiration, he
exclaimed, "Tell me where you procured this beautiful stone?"

This he did; and related from the beginning the seneschal's accident and
subsequent ingratitude. He told how severely he had been whipped by his
command; and the benefits he had received from the lion, the monkey, and
serpent.

Much moved at the recital, the emperor sent for the seneschal, and said,
"What