ive
work,--shoemaking and spinning,--and the one who finishes first the
piece of work begun is to eat the fish. While they were singing and
whistling at their work, a friend comes along, who knocks at the door,
but receives no answer. Then he enters and speaks to them, but still no
reply; finally, in anger, he sits down at the table and eats up all the
fish himself.[4]

One of our most popular stories illustrating woman's obstinacy is found
everywhere in Italy. The following is the Sicilian version:

XCVI. SCISSORS THEY WERE.

Once upon a time there was a husband and a wife. The husband was a
tailor; so was the wife, and in addition was a good housekeeper. One
day the husband found some things in the kitchen broken,--pots, glasses,
plates. He asked: "How were they broken?" "How do I know?" answered the
wife. "What do you mean by saying 'how do I know?' Who broke them?" "Who
broke them? I, with the scissors," said the wife, in anger. "With the
scissors?" "With the scissors!" "Are you telling the truth? I want to
know what you broke them with. If you don't tell me, I will beat you."
"With the scissors!" (for she had the scissors in her hand). "Scissors,
do you say?" "Scissors they were!" "Ah! what do you mean? Wait a bit; I
will make you see whether it was you with the scissors." So he tied a
rope around her and began to lower her into the well, saying: "Come, how
did you break them? You see I am lowering you into the well." "It was
the scissors!" The husband, seeing her so obstinate, lowered her into
the well; and she, for all that, did not hold her tongue. "How did you
break them?" said the husband. "It was the scissors." Then her husband
lowered her more, until she was half way down. "What did you do it
with?" "It was the scissors." Then he lowered her until her feet touched
the water. "What did you do it with?" "It was the scissors!" Then he let
her down into the water to her waist. "What did you do it with?" "It was
the scissors!" "Take care!" cried her husband, enraged at seeing her so
obstinate, "it will take but little to put you under the water. You had
better tell what you did it with; it will be better for you. How is it
possible to break pots and dishes with the scissors! What has become of
the pieces, if they were cut?" "It was the scissors! the scissors!" Then
he let go the rope. Splash! his wife is all under the water. "Are you
satisfied now? Do you say any longer that it was with the scissors?" The
wi