ock you up in a room for three days; and if you can't
tell me by the end of that time who stole the ring, I'll put you to
death."

'So he was locked up; and in the evening the butler brought him in his
supper. And when he saw evening was come, he said: "There's one of
them," meaning there was one of the three days gone.

'But the butler went down stairs in a great fright; for he was one of
the servants that had stolen the ring, and he said to the others: "He
knew me, and he said, 'There's one of them.' And I won't go near him
again," he said; "but let one of you go."

'So the next evening the cook went up with the supper, and when she came
in, he said the same way as before: "There's two of them," meaning there
was another day gone. And the cook went down like the butler had gone,
making sure he knew that she had a share in the robbery.

'The next day the third of the servants--that was the housemaid--brought
him his supper; and he gave a great sigh, and said: "There's the third
of them." So she went down and told the others; and they agreed it was
best to make a confession to him; and they went and told him of their
robberies; and they brought him the diamond ring; and they asked him to
try and screen them some way; so he said he would do his best for them,
and he said: "I see a big turkey-gobbler out in the yard; and what you
had best do is to open his mouth," he said, "and to force the ring down
it."

'So they did that. And then the landlord came up and asked could he tell
him where the thief was to be found. "Kill that turkey-gobbler in the
yard," he said, "and see what can you find in him." So they killed the
turkey-gobbler, and cut him open, and there they found the diamond ring.

'Then the landlord gave him great rewards, and everyone in the country
heard of him.

'And a neighbouring gentleman that heard of him said to the landlord:
"I'll make a bet with you that if you bring him to dinner at my house,
he won't be able to tell what is under a cover on the table." So the
landlord brought him; and when he was brought in, they asked him what
was in the dish with the cover; and he thought he was done for, and he
said: "The fox is caught at last." And what was under the cover but a
fox! So whatever name he had before, he got a three times greater name
now.

'But another gentleman made the same bet with the landlord; and when
they came into the dinner, there was a dish with a cover, and the man
had no notion