How Innocently Bouqui Was Punished 101


 *There is nothing to worry about, Malice, I tell you.
The only thing now to do is to untie you, and you can tie
me in your place.D
 In a little while he is going to bring his daughter. He
wants to introduce me to her, Malice said.
 Bouqui untied Malice and gave the rope to him. aTie
me tight, Malice, very tight,, he said. -I don't even care if
the ropes cut my arms. This is something worth suffering
for.-
 Malice used all his strength to tighten the ropes. And
Bouqui grunted, but he did not mind it, since he had so
much to gain in the end.
 When Bouqui was fastened to the tree, Malice bade him
good luck, and off he went, fast, kicking up a cloud of dust
behind him. But when he was out of Bouqui's sight he
climbed a custard apple tree to watch the outcome.
 Sure enough, a few seconds later, the king, with two
strong men, came toward Bouqui.
 When Bouqui saw them coming he said, cWhen do I
start to eat? The iron is red-hot to grill the beef on, don't
you see?,
 Listen,, they said to one another, -he thinks we're
going to feed him.D
 They untied Bouqui, led him to the hot iron and set
him right on it. Bouqui, who didn't expect that, leaped up
yelling. They set him on it three times as if they were dip-
ping something. And though he yelled and begged, and
groaned, telling them that he was not Malice, no one paid
any attention to what he was saying.