r
he made! When he had _quite_ done, they set forth once more.

The path lay through a field of maize, where several men were working.
As they came up to them, the puma whispered: 'Go on in front, friend
stag, and just say "Bad luck to all workers!"' The stag obeyed, but
the men were hot and tired, and did not think this a good joke. So
they set their dogs at him, and he was obliged to run away as fast as
he could.

'I hope your industry will be rewarded as it deserves,' said the puma
as he passed along; and the men were pleased, and offered him some of
their maize to eat.

By-and-by the puma saw a small snake with a beautiful shining skin,
lying coiled up at the foot of a tree. 'What a lovely bracelet that
would make for your daughter, friend stag!' said he. The stag stooped
and picked up the snake, which bit him, and he turned angrily to the
puma. 'Why did you not tell me it would bite?' he asked.

'Is it my fault if you are an idiot?' replied the puma.

At last they reached their journey's end, but by this time it was
late, and the puma's comrade was ready for bed, so they slung their
hammocks in convenient places, and went to sleep. But in the middle of
the night the puma rose softly and stole out of the door to the
sheep-fold, where he killed and ate the fattest sheep he could find,
and taking a bowl full of its blood, he sprinkled the sleeping stag
with it. This done, he returned to bed.

In the morning the shepherd went as usual to let the sheep out of the
fold, and found one of them missing. He thought directly of the puma,
and ran to accuse him of having eaten the sheep. 'I, my good man? What
has put it into your head to think of such a thing? Have _I_ got any
blood about me? If anyone has eaten a sheep it must be my friend the
stag.' Then the shepherd went to examine the sleeping stag, and of
course he saw the blood. 'Ah! I will teach you how to steal!' cried
he, and he hit the stag such a blow on his skull that he died in a
moment. The noise awakened the comrade above, and he came downstairs.
The puma greeted him with joy, and begged he might have some of the
famous milk as soon as possible, for he was very thirsty. A large
bucket was set before the puma directly. He drank it to the last drop,
and then took leave.

On his way home he met the monkey. 'Are you fond of milk?' asked he.
'I know a place where you get it very nice. I will show you it if you
like.' The monkey knew that the puma was not so g