“Anima terrena,
Stammi lontana tre passi,
E raccontami la tua pena[87]!”
Then the skeleton made a sign to him to follow it, and led him down to the foundations of the castle, where there was a big block of porphyry.
“Heave up that block,” said the skeleton.
“Not I!” replied Johnny; “I didn’t set it there, and so I’m not going to take it up.”
So the skeleton took up the block itself, and under it lay shining two immense jars full of gold.
“Take them, and count them out,” said the skeleton.
“Not I!” said Johnny; “I didn’t heap them up, and so I’m not going to count them out.”
So the skeleton counted them out itself, and they contained ten thousand gold pieces each.