` His Excellency the Count Piro wished the princess to choose them for herself , ' answered the fox , and the king nodded his approval . He then rode on , leaving the bridal pair in the castle . But when it was dark and all was still , the fox crept downstairs and lit the kitchen fire , and the ogre and his wife were burned to death . The next morning the fox said to Count Piro : ` Now that you are rich and happy , you have no more need of me ; but , before I go , there is one thing I must ask of you in return : when I die , promise me that you will give me a magnificent coffin , and bury me with due honours . ' ` Oh , little , little fox , do n't talk of dying , ' cried the princess , nearly weeping , for she had taken a great liking to the fox . After some time the fox thought he would see if the Count Piro was really grateful to him for all he had done , and went back to the castle , where he lay down on the door-step , and pretended to be dead . The princess was just going out for a walk , and directly she saw him lying there , she burst into tears and fell on her knees beside him . ` My dear little fox , you are not dead , ' she wailed ; ` you poor , poor little creature , you shall have the finest coffin in the world ! ' ' A coffin for an animal ? ' said Count Piro . ` What nonsense ! just take him by the leg and throw him into the ditch . ' Then the fox sprang up and cried : ` You wretched , thankless beggar ; have you forgotten that you owe all your riches to me ? ' Count Piro was frightened when he heard these words , as he thought that perhaps the fox might have power to take away the castle , and leave him as poor as when he had nothing to eat but the pears off his tree . So he tried to soften the fox 's anger , saying that he had only spoken in joke , as he had known quite well that he was not really dead . For the sake of the princess , the fox let himself be softened , and he lived in the castle for many years , and played with Count Piro 's children . And when he actually did die , his coffin was made of silver , and Count Piro and his wife followed him to the grave . -LSB- From Sicilianische Mahrchen . -RSB- The Rogue And The Herdsman In a tiny cottage near the king 's palace there once lived an old man , his wife , and his son , a very lazy fellow , who would never do a stroke of work . He could not be got even to look after their one cow , but left her to look after herself , while he lay on a bank and went to sleep in the sun .
For a long time his father bore with him , hoping that as he grew older he might gain more sense ; but at last the old XXXXX 's patience was worn out , and he told his son that he should not stay at house in idleness , and must go out into the world to seek his fortune .
fox liking man morning need pears princess thing wife world