the boy, who was about twelve years old, ought to have considered
himself very lucky, for his new mother was as kind to him as the old
one. But, unfortunately, he made friends with some bad rude companions
whose tricks caused them to be a terror to everyone, and the poor old
woman never ceased regretting her lost solitude.

Things went on in this way for some years, till the boy became a man.

'Perhaps, if he were to be married he might sober down,' she thought
to herself. And she inquired among the neighbours what girls there
were of an age to choose from. At length one was found, good and
industrious, as well as pretty; and as the young man raised no
objections the wedding took place at once, and the bride and
bridegroom went to live in the cottage with the old woman. But no
change was to be seen in the husband's conduct. All day long he was
out amusing himself in the company of his former friends, and if his
wife dared to say anything to him on his return home he beat her with
his stick. And next year, when a baby was born to them, he beat it
also.

At length the old woman's patience was worn out. She saw that it was
quite useless to expect the lazy, idle creature to mend his ways, and
one day she said to him:

'Do you mean to go on like this for ever? Remember, you are no longer
a boy, and it is time that you left off behaving like one. Come, shake
off your bad habits, and work for your wife and child, and above all,
stop beating them. If not I will transform you into an ass, and heavy
loads shall be piled on your back, and men shall ride you. Briars
shall be your food, a goad shall prick you, and in your turn you shall
know how it feels to be beaten.'

But if she expected her words to do any good she soon found out her
mistake, for the young man only grew angry and cried rudely:

'Bah! hold your tongue or I will whip you also.'

'_Will_ you?' she answered grimly: and, swift as lightning she picked
up a steel cane that stood in the corner and laid it across his
shoulders. In an instant his ears had grown long and his face longer,
his arms had become legs, and his body was covered with close grey
hair. Truly, he was an ass; and a very ugly one, too!

'Leave the house!' commanded the old woman. And, shambling awkwardly,
he went.

As he was standing in the path outside, not knowing what to do, a man
passed by.

'Ho! my fine fellow, you are exactly what I was looking for! You don't
seem to have a master, so