"That is impossible," says Juan.

"Why impossible?" cries the old woman. "The rice will have a smoky
taste if you don't."

"All right," says Juan, getting up. He goes to the fireplace and thinks
for a little while. Then he jumps up to the rafters of the ceiling,
which are but two feet above his head. He goes just above the pot,
adjusts his feet very well, and then lets himself fall. The pot is
broken to pieces. The old woman wakes up at the noise of the crash,
and says, "What is that, Juan? Is the rice cooked?"

"Why do you ask me that?" says Juan impatiently. "You told me to step
on the pot, and now you ask me if the rice is cooked!"

She goes out to the kitchen; and when she sees her broken pot, the old
woman becomes truly angry. She drives Juan from the house, telling him
that he cannot live with her any more because he is too troublesome.

Juan now goes off, and wanders from town to town. Sometimes he is
obliged to work in order to get anything to eat. Finally he comes
to a large town where the people wear shoes and carry umbrellas. He
becomes enchanted with the shoes and umbrellas: so he works hard, and
saves enough money to buy both. But he surprises every one who sees
him; for he carries his shoes dangling at his belt, and his umbrella
closed under his arm. Some of the more curious fellows follow after
him. They see that, although it rains or the sun is very hot, Juan
never opens his umbrella except when he sits to rest under a tree;
and also that he never puts his shoes on when he is on dry land,
but only when he is crossing a river. At last they ask him why he
does such foolish things. Juan says, "Don't you know that there are
many worms and loose branches in a tree? If, for example, a snake
should fall down, well, it would hit my umbrella. As for the shoes,
it is better for one to wear his shoes when he crosses a river,
for there he cannot see the ground." The people leave him alone;
but some persons think he is wise, and imitate his example.

Juan goes on with his travels. At last he falls in love. He serves
the girl's parents, and becomes their cook. He always keeps the
best parts of the chicken for the girl and himself, and gives only
the bones to the parents. They ask him why he gives them the worst
parts. Juan replies, "I do that because you are our supporters. The
bones, compared with a house, are the foundation and framework." The
parents find Juan's reasoning so good, that they at once marry th