‘Would you like to have the bran?’
‘What is the use of liking?’ answered José.
‘Well, call the ants, and tell them to fetch it for you; and, if some of it has been scattered by the wind, to bring in its stead the grains that were in the cakes you gave them.’ José listened in surprise. He did not much believe in the horse’s plan; but he could not think of anything better, so he called to the ants, and bade them collect the bran as fast as they could.
Then he sat under a tree and waited, while his horse cropped the green turf.
‘Look there!’ said the animal, suddenly raising its head; and José looked behind him and saw a little mountain of bran, which he put into a bag that was hung over his saddle.
‘Good deeds bear fruit sooner or later,’ observed the horse; ‘but mount again, as we have far to go.’
When they arrived at the tree, they saw the handkerchief fluttering like a flag from the topmost branch, and José’s spirits sank again.
‘How am I to get that handkerchief?’ cried he; ‘why I should need Jacob’s ladder!’ But the horse answered: