found the body should receive
a large sum of money. The body was found and carried about the street
again, but no one wept. That night new sentinels were appointed, but the
same thing happened as the night before. The soldiers were drugged and
dressed in monks' robes, and the corporal had a cross stuck between his
legs. The next day another proclamation, the body again found and
carried about, but no one detected weeping. The story then continues:]

The mason's son (here called for the first time Ninu) could not rest,
and went to Cianedda.[E] "Will you do me a favor?" "If I can," answered
Cianedda; "not one, but two. What can I do for you?" "Will you lend me
your goats this evening?" "I will." Ninu took them, bought four
_rotula_[F] of candles and an old earthen pot, knocked out the bottom
and fastened some candles around it. Then he took the goats and fixed
two candles to the horns of each one and took them where the body was,
and followed with the pot on his head and the candles lighted. The
soldiers ran away in terror, and the son took the body and threw it in
the sea.

[Footnote E: The name of a goatherd in Salaparuta.]

[Footnote F: A rotulu = .793 kilos.]

[The next day the king commanded that the price of meat should be set at
twelve _tari_[G] a _rotulu_, and ordered that all the old women of the
city should assemble at the palace. A hundred came, and he told them to
go begging about the city and find out who was cooking meat; thinking
that only the thief could afford to buy meat at that price. Ninu, of
course, bought some and gave it to his mother to cook. While it was
cooking, and Ninu absent, one of the old women came begging, and the
widow gave her a piece of meat. As she was going down-stairs Ninu met
her and asked her what she was doing. She explained that she was begging
for some bread. Ninu, suspecting the trick, took her and threw her into
the well.]

[Footnote G: Frs. 5.10.]

At noon, when the old women were to present themselves to the king, one
was missing. The king then sent for the butchers, and found that just
one _rotulu_ of meat had been sold. When the king saw this, he issued a
proclamation to find out who had done all these wonders, and said: "If
he is unmarried, I will give him my daughter; if he is married, I will
give him two measures of gold." Ninu presented himself to the king and
said: "Your Majesty, it was I." The king burst out laughing, and asked:
"Are you married or single?" H