nd these were not nearly so good as the first set. However, he plucked
them, as they had agreed, and set out for the king's palace. The old man
was still on the road, and he came up and said to Ciccu, 'What have you
got in that basket?'

'Figs for the king,' answered he.

'Let me have a peep,' and Ciccu lifted the lid. 'Oh, do give me one, I
am so fond of figs,' begged the little man.

'I am afraid if I do that the hole will show,' replied Ciccu, but as he
was very good-natured he gave him one. The old man ate it greedily and
kept the stalk in his hand, and then asked for another and another and
another till he had eaten half the basketful. 'But there are not enough
left to take to the king,' murmured Ciccu.

'Don't be anxious,' said the old man, throwing the stalks back into
the basket; 'just go on and carry the basket to the castle, and it will
bring you luck.'

Ciccu did not much like it; however he went on his way, and with a
trembling heart rang the castle bell. 'Here are some lovely figs for
the king,' said he, 'if his majesty will graciously accept them with my
humble duty.'

When the king was told that there was another man with a basket of figs
he cried out, 'Oh, have him in, have him in! I suppose it is a wager!'
But Ciccu uncovered the basket, and there lay a pile of beautiful ripe
figs. And the king was delighted, and emptied them himself on the silver
dish, and gave five florins to Ciccu, and offered besides to take him
into his service. Ciccu accepted gratefully, but said he must first
return home and give the five florins to his brothers.

When he got home Peppe spoke: 'Now we will see what we each have got
from the king. I myself received from him fifty lashes.'

'And I a hundred and fifty,' added Alfin.

'And I five florins and some sweets, which you can divide between you,
for the king has taken me into his service.' Then Ciccu went back to the
Court and served the king, and the king loved him.

The other two brothers heard that Ciccu had become quite an important
person, and they grew envious, and thought how they could put him to
shame. At last they came to the king and said to him, 'O king! your
palace is beautiful indeed, but to be worthy of you it lacks one
thing--the sword of the Man-eater.'

'How can I get it?' asked the king.

'Oh, Ciccu can get it for you; ask him.'

So the king sent for Ciccu and said to him, 'Ciccu, you must at any
price manage to get the sword of the Man-eat