Let us ask him to share our meal; mayhap
it will bring us good luck."

So the farmer went into the next room
and invited the monk to come and dine.
Yon may be sure he did not wait to be
asked twice, but came in at once, and sat at
the end of tho table, where he displayed a
remarkably good appetite. Later on, as it
was getting rather chilly, they returned
into the other room, where they had a
large chimney, which served the double
purpose of cooking the food and warming
the family. On the hearth they threw dried
vine branches, and it was soon in a famous
blaze. Then they all crowded round the
fire, or sat on benches under the slanting
roof of the chimney, unmindful of the
monk; but he was heard saying at the end
of the room:

          Povero fratino, servo di Dio!
          Tutti son ul fuoco fuori che io.

Literally:

          Poor little monk, servant of God!
         All are at the fire except myself.

The good woman nudged her husband,
who nudged his neighbour, and so on.
They all squeezed themselves close to each
other, to let the holy man come near the
fire. He sat on one of the benches, rubbing
his hands slowly. He looked very happy
and contented, but said nothing about going
away. They were going to bed very early
themselves, on account of getting up early
to work in the fields; they expected him,
therefore, to take his leave. But he never
moved. They did not like to turn him out
of doors, so they all crept away to bed.
They went up- stairs to their humble resting-
place, and the last of the family had still one
foot on the little creaking staircase, when
the monk called out: this time much more
piteously than before:

          Povero fratino, servo di Dio!
         Tutti vanno al letto fuori che io.

          Poor little monk, servant of God!
         All go to bed except myself.

Then they asked him to go up-stairs, and
they gave him a bed, and they never got
rid of him afterwards. Thus did the poor
little monk become complete master of the
cottage.

     THE FAITHFUL LITTLE DOG.

A YOUNG prince had a little dog, and he
was very fond of him, for he had the most
wonderful qualities. He was, in fact, gifted
by the fairies. He could do anything.
He was as useful as he was beautiful.
When his master travelled, he ran on before
him, had all the gates opened, went to
all the hotels, chose the apartments, ordered
dinner, paid the bills, discovered any
attempts at cheating, and kept the servants in
order. No housekeeper or steward could
have done as much. He was invaluable as
a courier, but ho had qualities of a higher
order besides; for he always gave his master
good advice. Just as the prince was
beginning to feel that he could not have
got on at all without the little dog, it fell ill,
and after some little time, it fell down one
day, apparently dead. The servants ran to
tell their master; the master came; he took
up one paw, and it dropped back heavily
when he let it go; he took up another, and
it dropped down as heavily as the first; he
stroked the long silky ears of the faithful
little dog, and raised its head; the eyes were
closed, and the little head drooped lifeless.

"Ah yes!" cried the prince, turning
round to his servants; "the poor dog is
indeed dead!"

"What shall we do with him?" said
the servants; "shall we throw him in the
river?"

"Yes," answered the master.

Then the little dog opened, first one eye,
and then the other, and lifting up his head,
looked reproachfully at his master, and
said:

"Is this the way to treat a faithful
servant? I watched yon when you slept;
and when you left me alone at home, I
barked till I was hoarse, to keep the thieves
away. Who kept your house in order, and
did the work of ten servants? Who kept
your feet warm in winter? Your poor
little dog. And is this his reward?"

The master and the servants looked
quite ashamed; and when every one had
left the room, the prince began to
apologise.

"Do I not know that you are my best
friend, dear little dog, and can you think
for a moment that I am ungrateful? I
was so taken by surprise at the news of
your death, that I really did not know what
I was saying. I felt so confused that I was
quite out of my senses with grief; but I
love you very dearly, and I hope you will
not bear me malice."

The little dog held out his paw, and
answered:

"No, dear master, I do not bear malice.
I will serve you faithfully, as I always did.
I will run and do all your errands when I
am better. All is forgotten."

The little dog resumed his duties, and
employed all his talent and energy in his
master's service for the space of one year;