taught me.  I will draw back from him and threaten him with my horns, as I did yesterday:  I will feign myself ill, and at the point of death.”  “Beware of that,” replied the ass, “it will ruin you; for as I came home this evening, I heard the merchant, our master, say something that makes me tremble for you.”  “Alas! what did you hear?” demanded the ox; “as you love me, withhold nothing from me, my dear Sprightly.”  “Our master,” replied the ass, “addressed himself thus to the labourer:  ‘Since the ox does not eat, and is not able to work, I would have him killed to-morrow, and we will give his flesh as an alms to the poor for God’s sake, as for the skin, that will be of use to us, and I would have you give it the currier to dress; therefore be sure to send for the butcher.’  This is what I had to tell you,” said the ass.  “The interest I feel in your preservation, and my friendship for you, obliged me to make it known to you, and to give you new advice.  As soon as they bring you your bran and straw, rise up and eat heartily.  Our master will by this think that you are recovered, and no doubt will recall his orders for killing you; but, if you act otherwise, you will certainly be slaughtered.”

This discourse had the effect which the ass designed.  The ox was greatly alarmed, and bellowed for fear.  The merchant, who heard the conversation very attentively, fell into a loud fit of laughter.  His wife was greatly surprised, and asked, “Pray, husband, tell me what you laugh at so heartily, that I may laugh with you.”  “Wife,” replied he, “you must content yourself with hearing me laugh.”  “No,” returned she, “I will know the reason.”  “I cannot afford you that satisfaction,” he, “and can only inform you that I laugh at what our ass just now said to the ox.  The rest is a secret, which I am not allowed to reveal.”  “What,” demanded she “hinders you from revealing the secret?” “If I tell it you,” replied he, “I shall forfeit my life.”  “You only jeer me,” cried his wife, “what you would have me believe cannot be true.  If you do not directly satisfy me as to what you laugh at, and tell me what the ox and the ass said to one another, I swear by heaven that you and I shall never bed together again.”

Having spoken thus, she went into the house, and seating herself in a corner, cried there all night.  Her husband lay alone, and finding next morning that she continued in the same humour, told her, she was very foolish to afflict herself in that manner; that the thing was not worth so much; that it concerned her very little to know while it was of the utmost consequence to him to keep the secret:  “therefore,” continued he, “I conjure you to think no more of it.”  “I shall still think so much of it,” replied she, “as never to forbear weeping till you have satisfied my curiosity.”  “But I tell you very seriously,” answered he, “that it will cost me my life if I yield to your indiscreet solicitations.”  “Let what will happen,” said she, “I do insist