ght upon these
words, and at last he said to Ciccu, 'Ciccu, I shall never rest until
you bring me back the Man-eater himself. You may have any help you like,
but somehow or other you must manage to do it.' Ciccu felt very much
cast, down at these words, and went to the stable to ask advice of his
friend the horse. 'Fear nothing,' said the horse; 'just say you want me
and fifty pieces of gold.' Ciccu did as he was bid, and the two set out
together.

When they reached the country of the Man-eater, Ciccu made all the
church bells toll and a proclamation to be made. 'Ciccu, the servant of
the king, is dead.' The Man-eater soon heard what everyone was saying,
and was glad in his heart, for he thought, 'Well, it is good news that
the thief who stole my sword is dead.' But Ciccu bought an axe and a
saw, and cut down a pine tree in the nearest wood, and began to hew it
into planks.

'What are you doing in my wood?' asked the Maneater, coming up.

'Noble lord,' answered Ciccu, 'I am making a coffin for the body of
Ciccu, who is dead.'

'Don't be in a hurry,' answered the Man-eater, who of course did not
know whom he was talking to, 'and perhaps I can help you;' and they set
to work sawing and fitting, and very soon the coffin was finished.

Then Ciccu scratched his ear thoughtfully, and cried, 'Idiot that I am!
I never took any measures. How am I to know if it is big enough? But now
I come to think of it, Ciccu was about your size. I wonder if you would
be so good as just to put yourself in the coffin, and see if there is
enough room.'

'Oh, delighted!' said the Man-eater, and laid himself at full length in
the coffin. Ciccu clapped on the lid, put a strong cord round it, tied
it fast on his horse, and rode back to the king. And when the king saw
that he really had brought back the Man-eater, he commanded a huge iron
chest to be brought, and locked the coffin up inside.

Just about this time the queen died, and soon after the king thought he
should like to marry again. He sought everywhere, but he could not hear
of any princess that took his fancy. Then the two envious brothers came
to him and said, 'O king! there is but one woman that is worthy of being
your wife, and that is she who is the fairest in the whole world.'

'But where can I find her?' asked the king

'Oh, Ciccu will know, and he will bring her to you.'

Now the king had got so used to depending on Ciccu, that he really
believed he could do everything.