upon it.”  “I perceive,” resumed the merchant, “that it is impossible to bring you to reason, and since I foresee that you will occasion your own death by your obstinacy, I will call in your children, that they may see you before you die.”  Accordingly he called for them, and sent for her father and mother, and other relations.  When they were come and had heard the reason of their being summoned, they did all they could to convince her that she was in the wrong, but to no purpose:  she told them she would rather die than yield that point to her husband.  Her father and mother spoke to her by herself, and told her that what she desired to know was of no importance to her; but they could produce no effect upon her, either by their authority or intreaties.  When her children saw that nothing would prevail to draw her out of that sullen temper, they wept bitterly.  The merchant himself was half frantic, and almost ready to risk his own life to save that of his wife, whom he sincerely loved.

The merchant had fifty hens and one cock, with a dog that gave good heed to all that passed.  While the merchant was considering what he had best do, he saw his dog run towards the cock as he was treading a hen, and heard him say to him:  “Cock, I am sure heaven will not let you live long; are you not ashamed to ad thus to-day?” The cock standing up on tiptoe, answered fiercely:  “And why not to-day as well as other days?” “If you do not know,” replied the dog, “then I will tell you, that this day our master is in great perplexity.  His wife would have him reveal a secret which is of such a nature, that the disclosure would cost him his life.  Things are come to that pass, that it is to be feared he will scarcely have resolution enough to resist his wife’s obstinacy; for he loves her, and is affected by the tears she continually sheds.  We are all alarmed at his situation, while you only insult our melancholy, and have the impudence to divert yourself with your hens.”

The cock answered the dog’s reproof thus:  “What, has our master so little sense? he has but one wife, and cannot govern her, and though I have fifty, I make them all do what I please.  Let him use his reason, he will soon find a way to rid himself of his trouble.”  “How?” demanded the dog; “what would you have him do?” “Let him go into the room where his wife is,” resumed the cock, “lock the door, and take a stick and thrash her well; and I will answer for it, that will bring her to her senses, and make her forbear to importune him to discover what he ought not to reveal.”  The merchant had no sooner heard what the cock said, than he took up a stick, went to his wife, whom he found still crying, and shutting the door, belaboured her so soundly, that she cried out, “Enough, husband, enough, forbear, and I will never ask the question more.”  Upon this, perceiving that she repented of her impertinent curiosity, he desisted; and opening the door, her friends came in, were glad to find her cured of her obstinacy, and complimented her husband upon this happy expedient to bring his wife to reason.