e weasel,
"how I wish it was in my power to thank you as I should like. How I wish
I had a fine house and grounds to take you to where you could live in
peace and plenty."

The words were hardly out of his mouth when he and the beasts found
themselves standing on the steps of a grand castle, with the finest lawn
before it that you ever saw. There was no one inside or outside it to
keep it from them, so in they went, and there they lived as happy as
kings.

Jack was standing at his gate one day as three merchants were passing by
with their goods packed on the backs of horses and mules.

"Bless our eyes," cried they, "what does this mean? There was no castle
or lawn here when we went by last time."

"That is true," cried Jack, "but you shall not be the worse for it. Take
your beasts into the yard at the back of the house and give them a good
feed, and if you can spare the time stay and take a bit of dinner with
me."

They were only too glad to do so; but after dinner Jack was so foolish
as to show them his painted egg, and to tell them that you had only to
wish for a thing when you had it in your hand and your wish was granted.
He proved it to be so. Then one of his guests put a powder into Jack's
next glass of wine, and when he awoke he found himself in the island
again, with his patched coat on him, and his three friends in front of
him, all looking very downhearted. "Ah, Master," said the weasel, "you
will never be wise enough for the tricky people that are in the world."

"Where did these thieves say they lived, and what names did they say
they were called by?" Jack scratched his head, and after a while was
able to tell them.

"Come, Neddy," says the weasel, "let us be jogging. It would not be safe
for the master to go with us; but if we have luck we will bring him the
egg back after all."

So the weasel got on the ass's back and the mouse got into his ear, and
away they went till they reached the house of the head rogue. The mouse
went in, and the ass and the weasel hid themselves in a copse outside.

The mouse soon came back to them.

"Well, what news?" said they.

"Dull news enough; he has the egg in a low chest in his bedroom, and the
door is strongly locked and bolted, and a pair of cats with fiery eyes
are chained to the chest watching it night and day."

"Let us go back," said the ass; "we can do nothing." "Wait!" said the
weasel.

When bedtime came, said the weasel to the mouse: "Go in at the