Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 8, 1897.djvu/141

 Rh king required him, so the man called the dog and placed him by the side of the little one, charging him: 'Look after the boy, and after our house, that no one enters until I return.' He thereupon attired himself in the uniform of his office, took his sword, and departed on his way to the king. Now as the dog was lying crouched beside the boy who was asleep, it saw a huge serpent approaching the boy, in order to devour it. So the dog arose and closed battle with the serpent, and killed it, the dog's mouth being besmeared with the blood of the serpent. Just at that moment the officer returned home from the king's presence, and the dog went to meet his master at the door of the house, all of a glee that it had destroyed the serpent. But as the officer beheld that the dog's mouth was besmeared with blood, he said to himself: 'It has eaten the child.' He became enraged at the animal before having acquainted himself with the facts, drew his sword, and smote the dog and killed it. After this, he entered his house and found his son asleep, no harm (having been done) to him, and the serpent which had been killed lying near the head of the child. Then the man understood that the dog had killed the serpent; and he was much distressed at having destroyed the dog. And now, my lord and master, do not destroy your son on account of the report of a wicked woman, so that it may not befal thee as it did that man who destroyed his dog.

. XIII.—"And listen further: There was once a wanton fellow, who had a desire for every woman that he heard was good-looking. One day he saw a beautiful woman in the country, and sent a message to her, but she did not return his advances (lit. did not agree to his desire). Whereupon he went to the woman's place and approached her, but she didn't care for him. Then he went to her neighbour, and disclosed to her his desire and his business. The old dame said to him: 'This woman whom you are wanting is a lady.' The man replies to the old