had eaten,
bones and all. Instantly the truth flashed upon him. It was no ram that
lay curled up in the corner pretending to be asleep (for in reality he
could bend back and turn his head as much as he liked), but a wolf who
was watching him out of the corner of his eye, and might spring upon him
at any moment. So the farmer took no notice, and only thought that here
was a fine chance of revenging himself on his next brother for a trick
which he had played, and merely told him that the ram would not eat the
grass in that field, and it might be well to drive him to the pasture by
the river, where his own flock was feeding. The second brother eagerly
swallowed the bait, and that evening the wolf was driven down to the
field where the young man kept the sheep which had been left him by his
father. By the next morning they also were all dead, but the second
brother likewise held his peace, and allowed the sheep which belonged to
the youngest to share the fate of the other two. Then they met and
confessed to each other their disasters, and resolved to take the animal
as fast as possible back to Toueno-Boueno, who should get a sound
thrashing.

* * * * *

Antoine was sitting on a plum tree belonging to a neighbour, eating the
ripe fruit, when he saw the three young farmers coming towards him.
Swinging himself down, he flew home to the hut, crying breathlessly,
'Mother, mother, the farmers are close by with the wolf. They have found
out all about it, and will certainly kill me, and perhaps you too. But
if you do as I tell you, I may be able to save us both. Lie down on the
floor, and pretend to be dead, and be sure not to speak, whatever
happens.'

Thus when the three brothers, each armed with a whip, entered the hut a
few seconds later, they found a woman extended on the floor, and Toueno
kneeling at her side, whistling loudly into her ears.

'What are you doing now, you rascal?' asked the eldest.

'What am I doing? Oh, my poor friends, I am the most miserable creature
in the world! I have lost the best of mothers, and I don't know what
will become of me,' and he hid his face in his hands and sobbed again.

'But what are you whistling like that for?'

'Well, it is the only chance. This whistle has been known to bring the
dead back to life, and I hoped--' here he buried his face in his hands
again, but peeping between his fingers he saw that the brothers had
opened their six eyes as wide