de ready, and went to the king in
his coach and four. The king received him kindly, made him sit at his
side, and talked about various things with him. Finally he asked him why
they called him the "Thoughtless Abbot," and he replied that it was
because he was free from care, and that his servants attended to his
interests.

Then the king said: "Well, then, Sir Abbot, since you have nothing to
do, do me the favor to count all the stars in the sky, and this within
three days and three nights; otherwise you will surely be beheaded." The
poor "Thoughtless Abbot" on hearing these words began to tremble like a
leaf, and taking leave of the king, returned home, in mortal fear for
his neck.

When meal-time came, he could not eat on account of his great anxiety,
and went at once out on the terrace to look at the sky, but the poor man
could not see a single star. When it grew dark, and the stars came out,
the poor abbot began to count them and write it down. But it grew dark
and light again, without the abbot succeeding in his task. The cook, the
steward, the secretaries, the grooms, the coachmen, and all the persons
in the house became thoughtful when they saw that their master did not
eat or drink, and always watched the sky. Not knowing what else to
think, they believed that he had gone mad. To make the matter short, the
three days passed without the abbot counting the stars, and the poor man
did not know how to present himself to the king, for he was sure he
would behead him. Finally, the last day, an old and trusty servant
begged him so long, that he told him the whole matter, and said: "I have
not been able to count the stars, and the king will cut my head off this
morning." When the servant had heard all, he said: "Do not fear, leave
it to me; I will settle everything."

He went and bought a large ox-hide, stretched it on the ground, and cut
off a piece of the tail, half an ear, and a small piece out of the side,
and then said to the abbot: "Now let us go to the king; and when he asks
your excellency how many stars there are in heaven, your excellency
will call me; I will stretch the hide on the ground, and your excellency
will say: 'The stars in heaven are as many as the hairs on this hide;
and as there are more hairs than stars, I have been obliged to cut off
part of the hide.'"

After the abbot had heard him, he felt relieved, ordered his carriage,
and took his servant to the king. When the king saw the abbot, he
s