you first of all
never to stay in the house of a friend who gives you black bread to eat.
Secondly, never gallop your horse in a valley. Thirdly, never choose a
wife of a foreign nation. Always bear these three things in mind, and I
have no doubt you will be fortunate,--but, if you act to the contrary,
be sure you would have done better to follow your father's advice."

The good son thanked his father for his wise counsels, and promised that
he would heed them, and never act contrary to them.

His father died soon after, and was buried with all befitting pomp
and ceremony; for his son wished to do his duty to one to whom he owed
everything.

Some time after this, the young nobleman, who was now an orphan and did
not understand household affairs, made the acquaintance of a neighbour,
whom he constantly visited, drinking and eating at his house.

This friend, who was married and had a beautiful wife, became very
jealous, and suspected that our young nobleman came on purpose to see
his wife, and that he was in reality her lover.

This made him very uncomfortable but he could think of no means of
getting rid of his guest, for it would have been useless to have told
him what he thought, so he determined that little by little he would
behave in such a way that, if the young man were not too stupid, he
would see that his frequent visits were far from welcome.

To put this project into execution, he caused black bread to be served
at meals, instead of white. After a few of these repasts, the young
nobleman remembered his father's advice. He knew that he done wrong, and
secretly hid a piece of the black bread in his sleeve, and took it home
with him, and to remind himself, he hung it by a piece of string from a
nail in the wall of his best chamber, and did not visit his neighbour's
house as formerly.

One day after that, he, being fond of amusement, was in the fields, and
his dogs put up a hare. He spurred his horse after them, and came
up with them in a valley, when his horse, which was galloping fast,
slipped, and broke its neck.

He was very thankful to find that his life was safe, and that he had
escaped without injury. He had the hare for his reward, and as he held
it up, and then looked at the horse of which he had been so fond, he
remembered the second piece of advice his father had given him, and
which, if he had kept in mind, he would have been spared the loss of his
horse, and also the risk of losing his life.