tell us what you will
take for your guitar, for you must sell it to us?'

'Oh, that is impossible!' replied the shoemaker, 'for every time I have
a quarrel with my wife I just strike her dead, and so give vent to my
anger. This has become such a habit with me that I don't think I could
break myself of it; and, of course, if I got rid of the guitar I could
never bring her back to life again.'

However, the robbers would not listen to him, and at last he consented
to take forty gold pieces for the guitar.

Then they all returned to their cave in the forest, delighted with their
new purchase, and longing for a chance of trying its powers. But the
captain declared that the first trial belonged to him, and after that
the others might have their turn.

That evening he called to his wife and said, 'What have you got for
supper?'

'Macaroni,' answered she.

'Why have you not boiled a fish?' he cried, and stabber in the neck so
that she fell dead. The captain, who was not in the least angry, seized
the guitar and began to play; but, let him play as loud as he would, the
dead woman never stirred. 'Oh, lying shoemaker! Oh, abominable knave!
Twice has he got the better of me. But I will pay him out!'

So he raged and swore, but it did him no good. The fact remained that he
had killed his wife and could not bring her back again.

The next morning came one of the robbers to fetch the guitar, and to
hear what had happened.

'Well, how have you got on?'

'Oh, splendidly! I stabbed my wife, and then began to play, and now she
is as well as ever.'

'Did you really? Then this evening I will try for myself.'

Of course the same thing happened over again, till all the wives had
been killed secretly, and when there were no more left they whispered to
each other the dreadful tale, and swore to be avenged on the shoemaker.

The band lost no time in setting out for his house, and, as before,
the shoemaker saw them coming from afar. He called to his wife, who was
washing in the kitchen: 'Listen, Aita: when the robbers come and ask for
me say I have gone to the vineyard. Then tell the dog to call me, and
chase him from the house.'

When he had given these directions he ran out of the back door and hid
behind a barrel. A few minutes later the robbers arrived, and called
loudly for the shoemaker.

'Alas! good gentlemen, he is up in the vineyard, but I will send the
dog after him at once. Here! now quickly to the vineyard, and te