"There, on the top of that mountain," they said to him.
"Good gracious! Just now I was in the midst of them and didn't notice. The truth is," he added, "that what I wanted was something to eat, and for half a pound of roasted meat I would have given all the diamonds of the earth."
Finally they all went to the mountain, gathered the diamonds in handfuls, and when they could carry no more, they went back towards the spot where the bark was ashore, and there after several months' work they succeeded in fixing a new rudder and some masts, which although small were sufficient to make the boat go. They put out to sea and at last arrived at Manila, to the great satisfaction of the Aragonese, who exclaimed:
"Did I not tell you that the ship would bring me to Manila?"
The dwarf Fu-fei had not wished to part with his friend and accompanied him everywhere, exciting attention by his long beard and tiny stature. The poor fellow was obliged to go about the streets singing, so that people should avoid treading on him.
They all soon returned to Spain, where they sold their diamonds and bought fine farms, founding an agricultural colony, in which they all lived together like brothers.
THE JUDGMENT OF THE FLOWERS
"Is it true that the rose is the queen of the flowers?" asked Richard of his papa.
And the latter said to him jokingly:
"Ask them themselves, they ought to be better informed."