The times., 1898-05-22

kings cook himself could havr sur
passed them OF course, Uncle Curro
ate until he could eat no longer. and
then. folding his tsbleelOth. he put it in
his pocket and set out for home.
Stopping 10 rest at the same inn as be-
fore. he was overcome with sleep and lay
down TO take a nap. The innkeeper who
recognized him at once. suspected that he
had something of value with him. and
cautiously taking the tablecloth out OF
his pocket, he put in its stead the soiled
cloth from the table of the inn.
When Curro reached home, he cried out
to his wife and children:
Come, come and eat, and this time,
take nv word for it. there shall be no
disappointment" Then he unfolded the
tablecloth, which. instead of viands, was
seen to be covered with stains of all sizes
and of every color At this the storm
broke loose Wife and children fell upon
him and beat him, until they left him a
fit subject for the hospital.
Uncle Curro took rope and went again
into the field to hang himself. This time
he persisted in his purpose OF hanging
himself and the dwarf persisted in his
that he should not At last the little friar
ended the discussion by giving Uncle Cur
ro cudgel. telling him that with that in
his hands he need never be troubled by
any one again. and that all he had 10 do
was to say: "Cudgel, lay about yOui'
for every one 10 run away from him, and
leave him in peace and quiet.
Uncle Curro took the road home with
his cudgel, as proud as an alcalde with
his wand of office, and the moment he
saw his children coming toward him, ask
ing for something TO eat, with insulting
and abusive words. as they We're accus-
toned to see their mother do, he said TO
his cudgel: "Cudgel lay about your No
sooner had he pronounced the words than
the cudgel began to shower blows to
right and left among the children. until
. they had scarcely a whole bone left in
their bodies. His wife ran to her chill
dren's assistance. AT her. cudgelt' said
Uncle Curro; ''at her. and with a will!'
And the cudgel belabored the wife so IN
merciful1y that she died of her injuries.
The authorities being notified, the al
cade, accompanied by his officers, pre-
sented himself upon the scene. "Cudgel,
lay about youi" said Uncle Curro, as
soon as they appeared, and the cudgel
proceeded to deal such lusty blows
among them that every blow was worth
a dollar: so that the alcade was killed
and the officers took to their heels and
were out of sight in a trice.
a messenger was sent to the king to
inform him of what was going on. and
the king sent a regiment of grenadiers
10 seize ONCle CurTO ana MS cuuSel. No
sooner did Uncle Curro see them ap-
proach than, throwing the cudgel among
their ranks, he cried 'Cudgel, lay
about youi' And the cudgel straightway
began to dance upon the ribs of the
grenadiers. making noise like the clap
per of a mill. One ii left lame; another
with disabled arm and the captain it
left blind of an eye. To make an end of
the business. the grenadiers all threw
their guns and knapsacks on the ground
and ran off. helter-skelter, as if they
thought the devil had broken loose and
was running after them.
With his mind at rest. Uncle Curro lay
down to take nap. hiding his cudgel in
his breast. lest IL should be stolen from
him during his sleep. When he awoke
he found himself bound ha N and foot
and on his way to prison, where, on his
arrival, he was sentenced to the ignomin-
ioUs death of the garotte.
On the following morning he was taken
from his cell and led out to execution.
On the scaffold his hands were unbound;
whereupon he took out his cudgel, and
saying, 'Cudgei, lay about you," he
threw it at the executioner who was
quickly beaten by it to death.
Set that man free" said the king ''er
he will not leave me a subject alive: tell
him that / win give him province in
America on condition that he shall leave
the country. And thus it was done The
king gave him province in the Island of
killed so many people with his cudgei that