t
open.

A famished wolf passed that way and saw the dead horses. "Now I will eat
my fill of horse," and he ate and ate until he had finished and had
swallowed Cecino.[M] Then the wolf went off until it became hungry again
and said: "Let us go and eat a goat."

[Footnote M: It appears from this that Cecino had been in one of the
horses all the time, but the thieves had not seen him because he was so
small.]

When Cecino heard the wolf talk about eating a goat, he cried out:
"Goat-herd, the wolf is coming to eat your goats!"

[The wolf supposes that it has swallowed some wind that forms these
words, hits itself against a stone, and after several trials gets rid of
the wind and Cecino, who hides himself under a stone, so that he shall
not be seen.]

Three robbers passed that way with a bag of money. One of them said:
"Now I will count the money, and you others be quiet or I will kill
you!" You can imagine whether they kept still! for they did not want to
die. So he began to count: "One, two, three, four, and five." And
Cecino: "One, two, three, four, and five." (Do you understand? he
repeats the robber's words.) "I hear you! you will not keep still. Well,
I will kill you; we shall see whether you will speak again." He began to
count the money again: "One, two, three, four, and five." Cecino
repeats: "One, two, three, four, and five." "Then you will not keep
quiet! now I will kill you!" and he killed one of them. "Now we shall
see whether you will talk; if you do I will kill you too." He began to
count: "One, two, three, four, and five." Cecino repeats: "One, two,
three, four, and five." "Take care, if I have to tell you again I will
kill you!" "Do you think I want to speak? I don't wish to be killed." He
begins to count: "One, two, three, four, and five." Cecino repeats:
"One, two, three, four, and five." "You will not keep quiet either; now
I will kill you!" and he killed him. "Now I am alone and can count by
myself and no one will repeat it." So he began again to count: "One,
two, three, four, and five." And Cecino: "One, two, three, four, and
five." Then the robber said: "There is some one hidden here; I had
better run away or he will kill me." So he ran away and left behind the
sack of money.

When Cecino perceived that there was no one there, he came out, put the
bag of money on his head, and started for home. When he drew near his
parents' house he cried: "Oh, mamma, come and meet me; I have brought
you a b