e. From that time she might live on roast nothing
and golden wait a while, instead of eggs, for she had abused and
killed the poor hen, though it was not at all to blame.

But the old man was very rich; he built great houses, laid out
beautiful gardens, and lived luxuriously. He made the old woman his
poultry-maid, the rooster he took about with him everywhere, dressed
in a gold collar, yellow boots, and spurs on its heels, so that one
might have thought it was one of the Three Kings from the Christmas
play instead of a mere ordinary rooster.

Mogarzea and His Son.

There was once a young lad who had neither father nor mother. Every
thing his parents had left him was in the care of guardians, and at
last he could bear their unjust reproaches no longer, but went out
into the wide world, entered a path leading to a glade in the forest,
and followed it a long way.

When, in the evening, he grew tired and found no place to rest, he
climbed a hill and gazed around him in every direction to try to
discover a light; after a long search he saw the flicker of a tiny
spark and went toward it. He walked and walked half the night, then he
came to a huge fire, by which a man as big as a giant was sleeping.
What was the youth to do? After thinking a while, he crept into one
leg of the man's trowsers and spent the rest of the night there.

When the man rose the next morning, to his great astonishment, he saw
the youngster drop out of his breeches.

"Where did you come from?" he asked.

"I was sent to you for a son last night," replied the lad.

"If that is true," said the big man, "you may tend my sheep, and I'll
give you something to eat, but beware that you don't cross the
boundaries, or woe betide you!"

He pointed out to the boy the end of his land, and then added:

"God be with you!"

The lad tended the flock all day, and when he returned in the evening
found the fire lighted, and helped the giant milk the sheep.

After their work was done, they sat down to supper, and while they
were eating the boy asked:

"What is your name, father?"

"Mogarzea," replied the big fellow.

"I wonder you don't get tired of staying here alone in this
wilderness."

"Then you wonder without cause. Don't you know that the bear never
dances willingly?"

"Yes, you're right there," replied the boy. "But I see that you are
always dull and sad. Tell me your story, father."

"What can be the use of telling you things that wou