self, as he was at enmity with all mankind. In
the dense forest he came across a place that seemed well suited to his
purpose. A clear brook, overgrown by large, shady fig trees, and with
banks of soft velvety turf, looked very inviting. Here he threw himself
down, with the firm resolve not to eat again, but to calmly await
death. While indulging in gloomy reveries, he fell asleep; but when he
waked up, and began to experience the pangs of hunger, he reflected
that starvation was rather an unpleasant thing, and therefore looked
about him to see whether any thing was to be had to eat.

Delicious ripe figs hung on the tree under which he had slept. He
climbed up to pick some, and found them just to his taste; and
afterwards he went down to the brook to slake his thirst. But how great
was his horror, when the brook reflected back his head, adorned with
two prodigious ears, and a long, thick nose! In great perplexity, he
seized the ears in his hands, and truly they were more than half a yard
long.

"I deserve an ass's ears!" cried he, "for like an ass I have trodden my
fortune underfoot." He strolled about under the trees, and when he once
more felt hungry, he again had recourse to the figs, as they were the
only eatable things to be found on the trees. After eating his second
meal of figs, while thinking whether he might not find a place for his
ears under his large turban, so that he would not appear too comical,
he became sensible of the fact that his enormous ears had disappeared.
He rushed down to the brook, and found it actually true; his ears had
resumed their former shape; his long, unshapely nose had vanished. He
now saw how all this had come about; the fruit of the first tree had
presented him with the long nose and ears, while that of the second had
healed him. Joyfully he perceived that his good luck had once more
suggested to him the means of getting satisfaction. He picked from each
tree as much as he could carry, and went back to the country he had so
lately left.

[Illustration]

In the first town he came to, he disguised himself with other clothes,
and went on to the city where the king lived. It was just at the season
when ripe fruits were not very plentiful, and Little Muck placed
himself under the palace gate, knowing from experience that the chief
cook was in the habit of purchasing delicacies here for the king's
table. Muck had not sat there long before he saw the cook coming
through the court, an