e-cloth, and said: 'Give this to your mother; but see that you don't
lose it as you lost the donkey, and till you are safely in your own
house beware of saying "Table-cloth, open," and "Table-cloth, shut." If
you do, the misfortune be on your own head, for I have given you fair
warning.'

Antonio set out on his journey, but hardly had he got out of sight
of the cave than he laid the table-cloth on the ground and said,
'Table-cloth, open.' In an instant the table-cloth unfolded itself and
disclosed a whole mass of precious stones and other treasures.

When Antonio perceived this he said, 'Table-cloth, shut,' and continued
his journey. He came to the same inn again, and calling the landlord to
him, he told him to put the table-cloth carefully away, and whatever he
did not to say 'Table-cloth, open,' or 'Table-cloth, shut,' to it.

The landlord, who was a regular rogue, answered, 'Just leave it to me, I
will look after it as if it were my own.'

After he had given Antonio plenty to eat and drink, and had provided him
with a comfortable bed, he went straight to the table-cloth and said,
'Table-cloth, open.' It opened at once, and displayed such costly
treasures that the landlord made up his mind on the spot to steal it.

When Antonio awoke next morning, the host handed him over a table-cloth
exactly like his own, and carrying it carefully over his arm, the
foolish youth went straight to his mother's house, and said: 'Now we
shall be rich beyond the dreams of avarice, and need never go about in
rags again, or lack the best of food.'

With these words he spread the table-cloth on the ground and said,
'Table-cloth, open.'

But he might repeat the injunction as often as he pleased, it was only
waste of breath, for nothing happened. When Antonio saw this he turned
to his mother and said: 'That old scoundrel of a landlord has done me
once more; but he will live to repent it, for if I ever enter his inn
again, I will make him suffer for the loss of my donkey and the other
treasures he has robbed me of.'

Masella was in such a rage over her fresh disappointment that she could
not restrain her impatience, and, turning on Antonio, she abused him
soundly, and told him to get out of her sight at once, for she would
never acknowledge him as a son of hers again. The poor boy was very
depressed by her words, and slunk back to his master like a dog with his
tail between his legs. When the ogre saw him, he guessed at once what
had