Let us give them a lesson, and kill them as soon as we get in.
Of course we can restore them to life at once, but they will have had a
rare fright.'

'Ah, how clever you are,' answered the other two. 'Nobody else would
have thought of that.'

So gaily the three husbands knocked down their three wives, who fell
dead to the ground. Then one by one the men tried the whistle, and blew
so loudly that it seemed as if their lungs would burst, but the women
lay stark and stiff and never moved an eyelid. The husbands grew pale
and cold, for they had never dreamed of this, nor meant any harm, and
after a while they understood that their efforts were of no use, and
that once more the boy had tricked them. With stern faces they rose to
their feet, and taking a large sack they retraced their steps to the
hut.

This time there was no escape. Toueno had been asleep, and only opened
his eyes as they entered. Without a word on either side they thrust
him into the sack, and tying up the mouth, the eldest threw it over his
shoulder. After that they all set out to the river, where they intended
to drown the boy.

But the river was a long way off, and the day was very hot, and Antoine
was heavy, heavier than a whole sheaf of corn. They carried him in
turns, but even so they grew very tired and thirsty, and when a little
tavern came in sight on the roadside, they thankfully flung the sack
down on a bench and entered to refresh themselves. They never noticed
that a beggar was sitting in the shade at the end of the bench, but
Toueno's sharp ears caught the sound of someone eating, and as soon as
the farmers had gone into the inn he began to groan softly.

'What is the matter?' asked the beggar, drawing a little nearer. 'Why
have they shut you up, poor boy?'

'Because they wanted to make me a bishop, and I would not consent,'
answered Toueno.

'Dear me,' exclaimed the beggar, 'yet it isn't such a bad thing to be a
bishop.'

'I don't say it is,' replied the young rascal, 'but I should never like
it. However, if you have any fancy for wearing a mitre, you need only
untie the sack, and take my place.'

'I should like nothing better,' said the man, as he stooped to undo the
big knot.

So it was the beggar and not Toueno-Boueno who was flung into the water.

The next morning the three wives were buried, and on returning from the
cemetery, their husbands met Toueno-Boueno driving a magnificent
flock of sheep. At the sight of him the t