st make use of thy
time as much as is possible. Now one of thy neighbors hath told me
that in the dressing of thy hair thou dost waste every day more than
an hour. It would be better far if thou didst spend this hour on thy
work rather than in the dressing and braiding which thou dost to thy
hair."

"That is true, Sir Mayor," replied Maria, turning as red as a
carnation, "but, look you, it is not my fault if I have a wealth of
tresses, the combing and plaiting of which necessitate so long a time
every morning."

"I tell thee it is thy fault," retorted the mayor, "for if thou didst
cut off this mane, thou wouldst save thyself all this combing and
plaiting, and thus wouldst have more time for work, and so gain more
money, and wouldst also give no occasion to people to call thee vain.
They even say that the devil will some day carry thee off by thy hair.
Nay, do not be distressed, for I already perceive the tears gathering
in thine eyes, for thou hast them indeed very ready at hand; I
admonish thee for thine own good without any self-interest. Cut thy
hair off, shear thyself, shave thyself, good Maria, and to allay the
bitterness of the shearing, I will give fifty _maravedis_, always on
condition that thou dost hand me over the hair."

When Maria at first heard this offer of so reasonable a sum for this
her hair, it seemed to her a jest of the mayor's, and she smiled right
sweetly while she dried her tears, repeating:

"You will give me fifty _maravedis_ if I shave myself?"

Now it appeared to the mayor (who, it is said, was not gifted with all
the prudence of Ulysses) that the smile signified that the maid was
not satisfied with so small a price, and he added:

"If thou wilt not be content with fifty _maravedis_, I will give thee
a hundred."

Then Maria saw some hangings of the apartment moving in front of her,
and perceiving a bulky protuberance, she immediately divined that the
mayoress was hiding behind there, and that the protuberance was caused
by her portly form. Now she discovered the mayor's design, and that it
was probably a caprice of his spouse, and she made a vow not to suffer
herself to be shorn unless she acquired by these means the five
hundred _maravedis_ needful to pay the Arabian physician who would
give her father back his eyesight.

Then the mayor raised his price from a hundred _maravedis_ to a
hundred and fifty, and afterwards to two hundred, and Maria continued
her sweet smiling, shaking