es. To return from the farm disfigured and ridiculed was well
calculated to cool the warmest passion.

A young man by the name of Coranda, somewhat ungainly in manner, but
cool, adroit, and cunning, which are not bad aids in making one's
fortune, took it in his head to try the adventure. The farmer received
him with his usual good nature, and, the bargain made, sent him to the
field to work. At breakfast-time the other servants were called, but
good care was taken to forget Coranda. At dinner it was the same.
Coranda gave himself no trouble about it. He went to the house, and
while the farmer's wife was feeding the chickens unhooked an enormous
ham from the kitchen rafters, took a huge loaf from the cupboard, and
went back to the fields to dine and take a nap.

"Are you satisfied?" cried the farmer, when he returned at night.

"Perfectly satisfied," said Coranda; "I have dined better than you
have."

At that instant the farmer's wife came rushing in, crying that her ham
was gone. Coranda laughed, and the farmer turned pale.

"Are you not satisfied?" asked Coranda.

"A ham is only a ham," answered his master. "Such a trifle does not
trouble me." But after that time he took good care not to leave the
student fasting.

Sunday came. The farmer and his wife seated themselves in the wagon to
go to church, saying to Coranda, "It is your business to cook the
dinner. Cut up the piece of meat you see yonder, with onions, carrots,
leeks, and parsley, and boil them all together in the great pot over
the kitchen fire."

"Very well," answered Coranda.

There was a little pet dog at the farm-house by the name of Parsley.
Coranda killed him, skinned him, cut him up with the meat and
vegetables, and put the whole to boil over the kitchen fire. When the
farmer's wife returned she called her favorite; but, alas! she saw
nothing but a bloody skin hanging by the window.

"What have you done?" said she to Coranda.

"What you ordered me, mistress. I have boiled the meat, onions,
carrots, and leeks, and parsley in the bargain."

"Wicked wretch!" cried the farmer, "had you the heart to kill the
innocent creature that was the joy of the house?"

"Are you not satisfied?" said Coranda, taking his knife from his
pocket.

"I did not say that," returned the farmer. "A dead dog is nothing but
a dead dog." But he sighed.

A few days after, the farmer and his wife went to market. Fearing
their terrible servant, they said to him, "Sta