“Punish Wolf!” cried the animals.

So Wolf was soundly beaten and driven from the court.  Then Monkey went off rejoicing, carrying with him his magic gifts.

—­AFRICAN TALE.

THE THREE TASKS

I

There were once two brothers who set out to seek their fortune.  They wasted their time and their money in all sorts of foolish ways, and before long they were nearly penniless.

After the two brothers had been gone some time, their younger brother, who had always been thought the simpleton of the family, set out to seek his fortune.

One day as he was passing through a village far away from home, he found his two brothers.

“Where are you going?” they asked.

“I am going to seek my fortune,” he replied.

“Ha, ha! how foolish you are!” they cried.  “With all our wit and wisdom we have been unable to make our fortune.  It is silly of you even to try.”  And they laughed and made fun of him.

Nevertheless, the three brothers decided to travel on together.  As they journeyed on, they saw a large ant hill by the side of the road.  The two elder brothers were about to destroy it, when the simpleton said, “Leave the poor ants alone.  I will not let you disturb them.”

They went on their way until they came to a pond upon which two ducks were swimming.  The two older brothers were about to kill them, when the simpleton said, “Leave them alone.  I will not let you kill them.”

Soon the three came to a tree, in the trunk of which was a wild bee’s nest.  The two older brothers wished to steal the honey.  They started to make a fire under the tree and smoke out the bees.  The simpleton said, “Leave the poor bees alone.  I will not let you rob them.”

II

At last the three brothers came to a castle where everything looked as if it had been turned to stone.  There was not a single human being to be seen.  They walked along the great wide hall, but still they saw no one.

“The castle must be enchanted,” the brothers said to one another.

After passing through many rooms, they came to a door in which there were three locks.  In the middle of the door was a little grating through which they could look into the room beyond.

They saw a little man, dressed in gray, seated at a table.  Twice they called to him, but he did not answer.  They called a third time.  Then he rose, opened the three locks, and came out.

He said not a word, but led them to a table on which a feast was spread.  When they had eaten and drunk as much as they wished, the old man showed each of them to a bedroom.  There they rested well all night.

The next morning the little gray man came to the eldest brother and beckoned him to follow.  He led him to a room in which there was a stone table, and on the table there lay three stone tablets.