“‘It is meet that I should wear asses’ ears,’ he cried, ‘for like an ass have I trampled my good fortune beneath my feet.’
“He wandered to and fro beneath the trees for a long time, until he again felt so hungry that he had no resource but to help himself to some more figs, for there was no other kind of fruit to be had. He plucked the fruit from a different tree, however.
“Having finished his meal, it occurred to him that he might try and tuck his great unsightly ears beneath his turban, but when he put up his hands to touch them they had dwindled down again to their ordinary size.
“He ran to the brook and looked in, and to his great joy discovered that both long ears and huge nose had disappeared.
“He now came to the conclusion that it was the fruit from the first tree which had caused his affliction, and the fruit from the second tree had cured him, and he recognised the fact with joy that he had once more the means placed in his hands to bring him good fortune. He therefore plucked from both trees as much fruit as he was able to carry and began to retrace his steps towards the country he had so shortly left.
“In the first town he came to he took care to obtain a disguise, which he put on, and then made his way towards the city where the king’s palace was. It happened to be just the time of year when fruit was scarce, and Mouk seated himself by the palace gateway, where he knew the steward of the royal kitchens came every day to buy delicacies from the country people who went there to sell their wares.
“He had not sat long before he saw the steward coming across the courtyard. He looked at the wares spread out for his inspection and presently his eye chanced to light upon Mouk’s basket of figs. ‘Ah!’ said he, ‘fruit is scarce just now, and his Majesty is very fond of it! What will you take for the basketful?’
“Little Mouk named a reasonable sum and the bargain was soon completed. The steward gave the basket to one of the slaves who accompanied him and went on his way, and little Mouk lost no time in making off, for he knew as soon as the figs he had sold were eaten the king would discover the misfortune that had overtaken him and would search for and punish the dealer who had been the cause of it.
“The king was in great good humour that day, for his dinner had pleased him particularly well and he praised the steward for his excellent catering, but the steward, who had kept the figs back as a surprise, smiled knowingly and quoted several wise saws—‘All’s well that ends well,’ ‘A fine evening may sometimes follow a dull day,’ and so on, until the princesses, becoming curious, questioned him eagerly as to what he had still to set before them.
