So　Lightning　consented；　and　they　went　on　their　way　together；　but　they　had　not　journeyed　many　miles　when　they　met　another　youth；　to　whom　Moscione　said；　〃What　is　your　name；　comrade？　What　country　are　you　from？　And　what　is　your　trade？〃　〃My　name；〃　replied　the　lad；　〃is　Quick…ear；　I　am　from　Vale…Curious；　and　when　I　put　my　ear　the　ground　I　hear　all　that　is　passing　in　the　world　without　stirring　from　the　spot。　I　perceive　the　monopolies　and　agreements　of　tradespeople　to　raise　the　prices　of　things；　the　ill…offices　of　courtiers；　the　appointments　of　lovers；　the　plots　of　robbers；　the　reports　of　spies；　the　complaints　of　servants；　the　gossiping　of　old　women；　and　the　oaths　of　sailors；　so　that　no　one　has　ever　been　able　to　discover　so　much　as　my　ears　can。〃
  〃If　that　be　true；〃　said　Moscione；　〃tell　me　what　they　are　now　saying　at　my　home。〃
  So　the　lad　put　his　ear　to　the　ground；　and　replied；　〃An　old　man　is　talking　to　his　wife；　and　saying；　　Praised　be　Sol　in　Leo！　I　have　got　rid　from　my　sight　of　that　fellow　Moscione；　that　face　of　　old…fashioned　crockery；　that　nail　in　my　heart。　By　travelling　through　the　world　he　will　at　least　become　a　man；　and　no　longer　be　such　a　stupid　ass；　such　a　simpleton；　such　a　lose…the…day　fellow；　　such　a　…'〃
  〃Stop；　stop！〃　cried　Moscione；　〃you　tell　the　truth　and　I　believe　you。　So　come　along　with　me；　for　you　have　found　the　road　to　　good…luck。〃
  〃Well　and　good！〃　said　the　youth。　So　they　all　went　on　together　and　travelled　ten　miles　farther；　when　they　met　another　man；　to　whom　Moscione　said；　〃What　is　your　name；　my　brave　fellow？　Where　were　you　born？　And　what　can　you　do　in　the　world？〃　And　the　man　answered；　〃My　name　is　Shoot…straight；　I　am　from　Castle　Aimwell；　and　I　can　shoot　with　a　crossbow　so　point…blank　as　to　hit　a　　crab…apple　in　the　middle。〃
  〃I　should　like　to　see　the　proof；〃　said　Moscione。　So　the　lad　charged　his　crossbow；　took　aim；　and　made　a　pea　leap　from　the　top　of　a　stone；　whereupon　Moscione　took　him　also　like　the　others　into　his　company。　And　they　travelled　on　another　day's　journey；　till　they　came　to　some　people　who　were　building　a　large　pier　in　the　scorching　heat　of　the　sun；　and　who　might　well　say；　〃Boy；　put　water　to　the　wine；　for　my　heart　is　burning。〃　So　Moscione　had　compassion　on　them；　and　said；　〃My　masters；　how　is　it　you　have　the　head　to　stand　in　this　furnace；　which　is　fit　to　roast　a　buffalo？〃　And　one　of　them　answered；　〃Oh；　we　are　as　cool　as　a　rose；　for　we　have　a　young　man　here　who　blows　upon　us　from　behind　in　such　a　manner　that　it　seems　just　as　if　the　west　wind　were　blowing。〃　〃Let　me　see　him；　I　pray；〃　cried　Moscione。　So　the　mason　called　the　lad；　and　Moscione　said　to　him；　〃Tell　me；　by　the　life　of　your　father；　what　is　your　name？　what　country　are　you　from？　and　what　is　your　profession！〃　And　the　lad　replied；　〃My　name　is　Blow…blast；　I　am　from　Windy…land；　and　I　can　make　all　the　winds　with　my　mouth。　If　you　wish　for　a　zephyr；　I　will　breathe　one　that　will　send　you　in　transports；　if　you　wish　for　a　squall；　I　will　throw　down　houses。〃
  〃Seeing　is　believing；〃　said　Moscione。　Whereupon　　Blow…blast　breathed　at　first　quite　gently；　so　that　it　seemed　to　be　the　wind　that　blows　at　Posilippo　towards　evening；　then　turning　suddenly　to　some　trees；　he　sent　forth　such　a　furious　blast　that　it　uprooted　a　row　of　oaks。
  When　Moscione　saw　this　he　took　him　for　a　companion；　and　travelling　on　as　far　again；　he　met　another　lad；　to　whom　he　said；　〃What　is　your　name；　if　I　may　make　so　bold？　Whence　are　you；　if　one　may　ask？　And　what　is　your　trade；　if　it　is　a　fair　question？〃　And　the　lad　answered；　〃My　name　is　Strong…back；　I　am　from　Valentino；　and　I　have　such　strength　that　I　can　take　a　mountain　on　my　back；　and　it　seems　to　me　only　a　feather。〃
  〃If　that　be　the　case；〃　said　Moscione；　〃you　deserve　to　be　the　king　of　the　custom…house；　and　you　should　be　chosen　for　standard…bearer　on　the　first　of　May。　　But　I　should　like　to　see　a　proof　of　what　you　say。〃
  Then　Strong…back　began　to　load　himself　with　masses　of　rock；　trunks　of　trees；　and　so　many　other　weights　that　a　thousand　large　waggons　could　not　have　carried　them；　which；　when　Moscione　saw；　he　agreed　with　the　lad　to　join　him。
  So　they　travelled　on　till　they　came　to　Fair…Flower；　the　King　of　which　place　had　a　daughter　who　ran　like　the　wind；　and　could　pass　over　the　waving　corn　without　bending　an　ear；　and　the　King　had　issued　a　proclamation　that　whoever　could　over…take　her　in　running　should　have　her　to　wife；　but　whoever　was　left　behind　should　lose　his　head。
  When　Moscione　arrived　in　this　country　and　heard　the　proclamation；　he　went　straight　to　the　King；　and　offered　to　run　with　his　daughter；　making　the　wise　agreement　either　to　win　the　race　or　leave　his　noddle　there。　But　in　the　morning　he　sent　to　inform　the　King　that　he　was　taken　ill；　and　being　unable　to　run　himself　he　would　send　another　young　man　in　his　place。　〃Come　who　will！〃　said　Ciannetella　（for　that　was　the　King's　daughter）；　〃I　care　not　a　figit　is　all　one　to　me。〃
  So　when　the　great　square　was　filled　with　people；　come　to　see　the　race；　insomuch　that　the　men　swarmed　like　ants；　and　the　windows　and　roofs　were　all　as　full　as　an　egg；　Lightning　came　out　and　took　his　station　at　the　top　of　the　square；　waiting　for　the　signal。　And　lo！　forth　came　Ciannetella；　dressed　in　a　little　gown；　tucked　　half…way　up　her　legs；　and　a　neat　and　pretty　little　shoe　with　a　single　sole。　Then　they　placed　themselves　shoulder　to　shoulder；　and　as　soon　as　the　tarantara　and　too…too　of　the　trumpets　was　heard；　off　they　darted；　running　at　such　a　rate　that　their　heels　touched　their　shoulders；　and　in　truth　they　seemed　just　like　hares　with　the　　grey…hounds　after　them；　horses　broken　loose　from　the　stable；　or　dogs　with　kettles　tied　to　their　tails。　But　Lightning　（as　he　was　both　by　name　and　nature）　left　the　princess　more　than　a　　hand's…breadth　behind　him；　and　came　first　to　the　goal。　Then　you　should　have　heard　the　huzzaing　and　shouting；　the　cries　and　the　uproar；　the　whistling　and　clapping　of　hands　of　all　the　people；　bawling　out；　〃Hurra！　Long　life　to　the　stranger！〃　Whereat　Ciannetella's　face　turned　as　red　as　a　schoolboy's　who　is　going　to　be　whipped；　and　she　stood　lost　in　shame　and　confusion　at　seeing　herself　vanquished。　But　as　there　were　to　be　two　heats　to　the　race；　she　fell　to　planning　how　to　be　revenged　for　this　affront；　and　going　home；　she　put　a　charm　into　a　ring　of　such　power　that　if　any　one　had　it　upon　his　finger　his　legs　would　totter　so　that　he　would　not　be　able　to　walk；　much　less　run；　then　she　sent　it　as　a　present　to　Lightning；　begging　him　to　wear　it　on　his　finger　for　love　of　her。
  Quick…ear；　who　heard　this　trick　plotted　between　the　father　and　daughter；　said　nothing；　and　waited　to　see　the　upshot　of　the　affair。　And　when；　at　the　trumpeting　of　the　birds；　the　Sun　whipped　on　the　Night；　who　sat　mounted　on　the　jackass　of　the　Shades；　they　returned　to　the　field；　where　at　the　usual　signal　they　fell　to　plying　their　heels。　But　if　Ciannetella　was　like　another　Atalanta；　Lightning　had　become　no　less　like　an　old　donkey　and　a　foundered　horse；　for　he　could　not　stir　a　step。　But　Shoot…straight；　who　saw　his　comrade's　danger；　and　heard　from　Quick…ear　how　matters　stood；　laid　hold　of　his　crossbow　and　shot　a　bolt　so　exactly　that　it　hit　Lightning's　finger；　and　out　flew　the　stone　from　the　ring；　in　which　the　virtue　of　the　charm　lay；　whereupon　his　legs；　that　had　been　tied；　were　set　free；　and　with　four　goat…leaps　he　passed　Ciannetella　and　won　the　race。
  The　King　seeing　this　victory　of　a　blockhead；　the　palm　thus　carried　off　by　a　simpleton；　the　triumph　of　a　fool；　bethought　himself　seriously　whether　or　no　he　should　give　him　his　daughter；　and　taking　counsel　with　the　wiseacres　of　his　court；　they　replied　that　Ciannetella　was　not　a　mouthful　for　the　tooth　of　such　a　miserable　dog　and　lose…the…day　bird；　and　that；　without　breaking　his　word；　he　might　commute　the　promise　of　his　daughter　for　a　gift　of　crowns；　which　would　be　more　to　the　taste　of　a　poor　beggar　like　Moscione　than　all　the　women　in　the　world。
  This　advice　pleased　the　King；　and　he　asked　Moscione　how　much　money　he　would　take　instead　of　the　wife　who　had　been　promised　him。　Then　Moscione；　after　consulting　with　the　others；　answered；　〃I　will　take　as　much　gold　and　silver　as　one　of　my　comrades　can　carry　on　his　back。〃　The　king　consented；　whereupon　they　brought　　Strong…back；　on　whom　they　began　to　load　bales　of　ducats；　sacks　of　patacas；　large　purses　full　of　crowns；　barrels　of　copper　money；　chests　full　of　chains　and　rings；　but　the　more　they　loaded　him　the　firmer　he　stood；　just　like　a　tower；　so　that　the　treasury；　the　banks；　the　usurers；　and　the　money…dealers　of　the　city　did　not　suffice；　and　he　sent　to　all　the　great　people　in　every　direction　to　borrow　their　silver　candlesticks；　basins；　jugs；　plates；　trays；　and　baskets；　and　yet　all　was　not　enough　to　make　up　the　full　load。　At　length　they　went　away；　not　laden　but　tired　and　satisfied。
  When　the　councillors　saw　what　heaps　and　stores　these　six　miserable　dogs　were　carrying　off；　they　said　to　the　King　that　it　was　a　great　piece　of　assery　to　load　them　with　all　the　sinews　of　his　kingdom；　and　that　it　would　be　well　to　send　people　after　them　to　lessen　the　load　of　that　Atlas　who　was　carrying　on　his　shoulders　a　heaven　of　treasure。　The　King　gave　ear　to　this　advice；　and　immediately　despatched　a　party　of　armed　men；　foot　and　horse；　to　overtake　Moscione　and　his　friends。　But　Qu