n't sell him to us." What does he do then? He takes Cecino and
puts him on the horn of an ox and says: "Stay there, for now I am going
to get the things to mend." "Yes, yes, don't be afraid; I will stay on
my horn." So the carpenter went to get the things to mend.

Meanwhile two thieves passed by, and seeing the oxen, one said: "See
those two oxen there alone. Come, let us go and steal them." When they
drew near, Cecino cried out: "Papa, look out! there are thieves here!
they are stealing your oxen!" "Ah! where does that voice come from?" And
they approached nearer to see; and Cecino, the nearer he saw them come,
the more he called out: "Look out for your oxen, papa; the thieves are
stealing them!"

When the carpenter came the thieves said to him: "Good man, where does
that voice come from?" "It is my son." "If he is not here, where is he?"
"Don't you see? there he is, up on the horn of one of the oxen." When he
showed him to them, they said: "You must sell him to us; we will give
you as much money as you wish." "What are you thinking about! I might
sell him to you, but who knows how much my wife would grumble about it!"
"Do you know what you must tell her? that he died on the way."

They tempted him so much that at last he gave him to them for two sacks
of money. They took their Cecino, put him in one of their pockets, and
went away. On their journey they saw the king's stable. "Let us take a
look at the king's stable and see whether we can steal a pair of
horses." "Very good." They said to Cecino: "Don't betray us." "Don't be
afraid, I will not betray you."

So they went into the stable and stole three horses, which they took
home and put in their own stable.

Afterwards they went and said to Cecino: "Listen. We are so tired! save
us the trouble, go down and give the horses some oats." Cecino went to
do so, but fell asleep on the halter and one of the horses swallowed
him. When he did not return, the thieves said: "He must have fallen
asleep in the stable." So they went there and looked for him and
called: "Cecino, where are you?" "Inside of the black horse." Then they
killed the black horse; but Cecino was not there. "Cecino, where are
you?" "In the bay horse." So they killed the bay horse; but Cecino was
not there. "Cecino, where are you?" But Cecino answered no longer. Then
they said: "What a pity! that child who was so useful to us is lost."
Then they dragged out into the fields the two horses that they had cu