him to stand at the
door until the man with milk and new-made cheese came past, as she
wanted to buy a pennyworth of milk. So Vardiello, who was a great
glutton, went quickly and seated himself at the door; and his mother
showered down from the window above raisins and dried figs for more
than half an hour. Whereupon Vardiello, picking them up as fast as he
could, cried aloud, "Mother, mother! bring out some baskets; give me
some bowls! Here, quick with the tubs and buckets! for if it goes on to
rain thus we shall be rich in a trice." And when he had eaten his fill
Vardiello went up to sleep.

It happened one day that two countrymen--the food and life-blood of the
law-courts--fell out, and went to law about a gold crown-piece which
they had found on the ground. And Vardiello passing by said, "What
jackasses you are to quarrel about a red lupin like this! For my part I
don't value it at a pin's head, for I've found a whole potful of them."

When the judge heard this he opened wide his eyes and ears, and
examined Vardiello closely, asking him how, when, and where he had
found the crowns. And Vardiello replied, "I found them in a palace,
inside a dumb man, when it rained raisins and dried figs." At this the
judge stared with amazement; but instantly seeing how the matter stood,
he decreed that Vardiello should be sent to a madhouse, as the most
competent tribunal for him. Thus the stupidity of the son made the
mother rich, and the mother's wit found a remedy for the foolishness of
the son: whereby it is clearly seen that--

"A ship when steered by a skilful hand
Will seldom strike upon rock or sand."

V

THE FLEA

Resolutions taken without thought bring disasters without remedy. He
who behaves like a fool repents like a wise man; as happened to the
King of High-Hill, who through unexampled folly committed an act of
madness putting in jeopardy both his daughter and his honour.

Once upon a time the King of High-Hill being bitten by a flea caught
him by a wonderful feat of dexterity; and seeing how handsome and
stately he was he had not the conscience to sentence him to death. So
he put him into a bottle, and feeding him every day himself the little
animal grew at such a rate that at the end of seven months it was
necessary to shift his quarters, for he was grown bigger than a sheep.
The King then had him flayed and his skin dressed. Then he issued a
proclamation that whoever could tell what this skin