eir dinner, Salaksak
threw his skin among the cows. Then he went up to the hut where the
herdsmen were, and said to the chief of the herdsmen, "Friend, it is
now a week since I lost my cow, and I am afraid that she has become
mixed up with your herd. Please be so kind, therefore, as to count
them." The chief immediately went over to where the cows were. As
he was counting them, Salaksak picked up the skin, and, shaking his
head, he said, "Alas! here is the mark of my cow, and this must be my
cow's skin. You must pay me a thousand pesos, or else you shall be
imprisoned. My cow was easily worth a thousand pesos; for when she
was alive, she used to drop money every day." In their great fear,
the herdsmen paid Salaksak the money at once.

Salaksak now went home and told his brother of his good fortune. Hoping
to become as rich as his brother, Cucunu immediately killed his cow. He
took the skin with him, and left the flesh to Salaksak. As he was in
the street calling out, "Who wants to buy a hide?" he was summoned
by the ruler of the town, and was accused of having stolen the hide,
and he was whipped so badly that he could hardly walk home.

Maddened by the disgrace he had suffered, Cucunu burned the house
of his brother one day while he was away. When Salaksak came home,
he found nothing but ashes. These he put into a sack, however, and
set out to seek his fortune again. On his way he overtook an old
man who was carrying a bag of money on his back. Salaksak asked him,
"Are you going to the ruler's house?"

"Yes," replied the old man, "I have to give this money to him."

"I am sorry for you, old man. I, too, am going to the palace. What
do you say to exchanging loads? Mine is very light in comparison
with yours."

"With all my heart, kind boy!" said the old man; and so they exchanged
sacks.

After they had travelled together a short distance, Salaksak said,
"Old man, you seem to be stronger when you have a light load. Let me
see how fast you can run." The old man, having no suspicion of his
companion, walked ahead as fast as he could. As soon as Salaksak came
to a safe place along the road to hide, he deserted his companion. He
went to his brother's house, and told him that he had gotten a sack
of silver for a sack of ashes.

"Why," said his brother, "my house is bigger than yours! I ought to
get two sacks of ashes if I burn it. I think that would be a good
bargain." So he burned his house, too. Then he went through