with you,--a murderer, or a robber?" hissed
the chief as soon as the snake and Andres entered.

"He is neither of the two," replied the snake. "Please don't do a
bit of harm to him! Had it not been for him, my life would have been
lost. He rescued me from the hands of a cruel person who found me
creeping through the grass."

"Well," said the chief to Andres, "what reward do you want me to
give you?"

"Only your red cloth, and nothing else," answered Andres. The chief
hesitated for a moment. Then he went into a very dark cell, and got
out the red cloth. He returned with it, and said to Andres, "Since
you have saved the life of one of our number, I give you this cloth
as a reward. You can ask of it anything you want."

Andres thanked the chief, and went away. It was now ten o'clock, and
he had not yet bought rice for breakfast. "Poor mother! she must be
very hungry." Andres himself felt hungry, so he asked the red cloth
to bring him food. Soon a breakfast, richer than the ordinary ones
he was accustomed to, was spread before him. Having eaten his hearty
meal under the shade of a tree, he resumed his journey homeward. He
had yet several miles to go.

After a few hours' walk he again became hungry. He went to a hut
and asked the old woman there if he might eat in her house. He said
that he had brought his own food with him. The old woman invited
him in, and Andres asked his red cloth for food. In an instant a
fine luncheon was before them. Andres invited the old woman to eat
with him, which she willingly did. She liked the food so very much,
that she asked Andres to let her have his wonderful red cloth. She
said, "Give me this cloth, and I will let you have my two stones in
exchange. When you want to get rid of persons who annoy you, just
tell these two stones where to go, and they will inflict heavy blows
on the evil-doers." Andres agreed to the exchange.

He proceeded on his way, taking with him the two stones. Tired and
exhausted from his long journey, Andres again began to feel hungry. Now
what would become of him? His red cloth was gone, and he had nothing
to eat. Fortunately he saw another hut by the roadside. He went to
it, and easily gained admittance. The witch, the only person in the
cottage, had just finished her dinner. She had nothing left to give
the starving boy. Andres then said to his stones, "Go to your former
mistress, the old woman, and tell her that I take back my red cloth. If
she refuses to g