gan to strike until Half-a-Cock called from beneath the mat:

"Enough now. Roll the mat."

She obeyed and saw the earth all shining with gold.

* * * * *

At the time when Half-a-Cock returned from his pilgrimage the two women
owned a dog in common. The foolish one seeing that her companion had
received much money said to her:

"We will divide the dog between us."

The wise woman answered: "We can't do anything with it. Let it live, I will
give you my half. Keep it for yourself. I have no need of it."

The foolish one said to the dog, "Go on a pilgrimage as Half-a-Cock did and
bring me some gold."

The dog started to carry out the commands of his mistress. She began her
journey in the morning and came to a fountain. As she was thirsty she
started to drink. As she stopped she saw in the middle of the fountain a
yellow stone. She took it in her mouth and ran back home. When she reached
the house she called her mistress and said to her:

"Get ready the mats and the rods, you see that I have come back from the
pilgrimage."

The foolish one prepared the mats under which the dog ran as soon as she
heard the voice of her mistress and said, "Strike gently." The woman seized
the rods and struck with all the force possible. The dog cried out to her a
long while for her to stop the blows. Her mistress refused to stop until
the animal was cold. She lighted up the mats and found the dog dead with
the yellow stone in its mouth.

* * * * *

STRANGE MEETINGS

Once upon a time a man was on a journey and he met a mare who grazed in the
meadow. She was thin, lean, and had only skin and bone. He went on until he
came to a place where he found a mare which was fat, although she did not
eat. He went on further until he met a sheep which kicked against a rock
till evening to pass the night there. Advancing he met a serpent which hung
in a hole from which it could not get out. Farther on, he saw a man who
played with a ball, and his children were old men. He came to an old man
who said to him:

"I will explain all that to you. The lean mare which you saw represents the
rich man whose brothers are poor. The fat mare represents the poor man
whose brothers are rich. The serpent which swings unable to enter nor to
leave the hole is the picture of the word which once spoken and heard can
never go back. The sheep which kicks against the rock to pass the night
there, i