t and my own." And leaving the house, the cat went out into
the fields, and, pretending to sleep, caught a hare that passed and
killed it. Thence, going to the royal palace and seeing some of the
courtiers, the cat said that she wished to speak with the king, who,
when he heard that a cat wished to speak to him, had her shown into his
presence, and asked her what she wished. The cat replied that her
master, Constantine, had sent him a hare which he had caught. The king
accepted the gift, and asked who this Constantine was. The cat replied
that he was a man who had no superior in goodness, beauty, and power.
Wherefore the king treated the cat very well, giving her to eat and
drink bountifully. When the cat had satisfied her hunger, she slyly
filled with her paw (unseen by any one) the bag that hung at her side,
and taking leave of the king, carried it to Constantine. When the
brothers saw the food over which Constantine exulted, they asked him to
share it with them; but he refused, rendering them tit for tat. On which
account there arose between them great envy, that continually gnawed
their hearts. Now Constantine, although handsome in his face,
nevertheless, from the privation he had suffered, was covered with scabs
and scurf, which caused him great annoyance. But going with his cat to
the river, she licked him carefully from head to foot, and combed his
hair, and in a few days he was entirely cured.

The cat (as we said above) continued to carry gifts to the royal palace,
and thus supported her master. But after a time she wearied of running
up and down so much, and feared that she would annoy the king's
courtiers; so she said to her master: "Sir, if you will do what I order,
I will make you rich in a short time." "How?" said her master. The cat
replied: "Come with me, and do not ask any more, for I am ready to
enrich you." So they went together to the stream, which was near the
royal palace, and the cat stripped her master, and with his agreement
threw him into the river, and then began to cry out in a loud voice:
"Help! help! Messer Constantine is drowning." The king hearing this, and
remembering that he had often received presents from him, sent his
people at once to aid him. When Messer Constantine was taken out of the
water and dressed in fine clothes, he was taken to the king, who
received him cordially, and asked him why he had been thrown into the
river. Constantine could not answer for grief; but the cat, whic