wered the other; 'but tell me--where has
he been seen?'

"'On the mountain,' answered the other; 'I saw him there this morning,
with no panel or furniture upon him of any kind, and so lank that it was
grievous to behold him. I would have driven him before me and brought
him to you, but he is already become so shy that when I went near him he
took to his heels and fled to a distance from me. Now, if you like it we
will both go seek him; but first let me put up this of mine at home, and
I will return instantly.'

"'You will do me a great favor,' said the owner of the lost ass, 'and I
shall be happy at any time to do as much for you.'

"In short the two aldermen, hand in hand and side by side, trudged
together up the hill; and on coming to the place where they expected to
find the ass, they found him not, nor was he anywhere to be seen, though
they made diligent search. Being thus disappointed, the alderman who had
seen him said to the other, 'Hark you, friend, I have thought of a
stratagem by which we shall certainly discover this animal, even though
he had crept into the bowels of the earth, instead of the mountain; and
it is this: I can bray marvellously well, and if you can do a little in
that way the business is done.'

"'A little, say you, neighbor?' quoth the other, 'before Heaven, in
braying I yield to none--no, not to asses themselves.'

"'We shall soon see that,' answered the second alderman; 'go you on one
side of the mountain, while I take the other, and let us walk round it,
and every now and then you shall bray, and I will bray; and the ass will
certainly hear and answer us, if he still remains in these parts.'
'Verily, neighbor, your device is excellent, and worthy your good
parts,' said the owner of the ass.

"They then separated, according to agreement, and both began braying at
the same instant, with such marvellous truth of imitation that, mutually
deceived, each ran towards the other, not doubting but that the ass was
found; and, on meeting, the loser said, 'Is it possible, friend, that it
was not my ass that brayed?'

"'No, it was I,' answered the other.

"'I declare, then,' said the owner, 'that, as far as regards braying,
there is not the least difference between you and an ass; for in my life
I never heard anything more natural.'

"'These praises and compliments,' answered the author of the stratagem,
'belong rather to you than to me, friend; for by Him that made me, you
could give the od