ds of two brays to the greatest and most skilful brayer
in the world; for your tones are rich, your time correct, your notes
well sustained, and cadences abrupt and beautiful; in short, I own
myself vanquished, and yield to you the palm in this rare talent.'

"'Truly,' answered the ass owner, 'I shall value and esteem myself the
more henceforth, since I am not without some endowment. It is true, I
fancy that I brayed indifferently well, yet never flattered myself that
I excelled so much as you are pleased to say.'

"'I tell you,' answered the second, 'there are rare abilities often lost
to the world, and they are ill-bestowed on those who know not how to
employ them to advantage.'

"'Right, brother,' quoth the owner, 'though, except in cases like the
present, ours may not turn to much account; and even in this business,
Heaven grant it may prove of service.'

"This said, they separated again, to resume their braying; and each time
were deceived as before, and met again, till they at length agreed, as a
signal, to distinguish their own voices from that of the ass, that they
should bray twice together, one immediately after the other. Thus,
doubling their brayings, they made the tour of the whole mountain,
without having any answer from the stray ass, not even by signs. How,
indeed, could the poor creature answer, whom at last they found in a
thicket, half devoured by wolves? On seeing the body, the owner said,
'Truly, I wondered at his silence; for, had he not been dead, he
certainly would have answered us, or he were no true ass; nevertheless,
neighbor, though I have found him dead, my trouble in the search has
been well repaid in listening to your exquisite braying.'

"'It is in good hands, friend,' answered the other; 'for if the abbot
sings well, the novice comes not far behind him.'

"Hereupon they returned home hoarse and disconsolate, and told their
friends and neighbors all that had happened to them in their search
after the ass; each of them extolling the other for his excellence in
braying. The story spread all over the adjacent villages, and the devil,
who sleeps not, as he loves to sow discord wherever he can, raising a
bustle in the wind, and mischief out of nothing, so ordered it that all
the neighboring villagers, at the sight of any of our towns-people,
would immediately begin to bray, as it were hitting us in the teeth with
the notable talent of our aldermen. The boys fell to it, which was the
same