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39] will be a great drought this year, so we will plant potatoes instead. Remembering what I said last year, I shall collect what is underground and you collect what is above ground. That is what I call fair and equal ; each one receiving the product of each year. This rule will be adhered to without change hereafter."

Chapter LXXIII.— The Refrain of the Song. i^^7f,M^-) CTTTHERE was a gay young man, who had spent all his money and property in debauchery, went from door to door singing and begging. Thus he passed his days. One day he passed the door of a girl whom he formerly knew. The girl was drinking, together with a guest, and he heard her singing in a low voice. These are the words: "On account of you, my rosy cheeks have lost color and become thin." He was just at the door when she sang these lines. He loudly joined the song, singing: "On account of you, my meals have become irregular."

Chapter LXXIV.— The Square Serpent. (-^ Jg.) CTTHERE was a man who, for the first time, saw a snake. He began to tell lies and spoke to another about this snake, which he described as 100 feet broad and 1,000 feet long. The other said : " Surely I cannot believe it." The liar again said : " If it is not 1,000 feet, it must be 500 feet." The other man replied :" Still I do not believe you." He again reduced his figures and said : " It may be 300 feet long and 200 feet broad." At last he reduced it to 100 feet. Then he saw that he had made a great mistake : " I said it wrong. According to my description, that snake would become a square one."