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each other。
The mouse with the cropped ears found a lamp full of
oil and a bottle full of pepper。 So she dipped her tail first
in the oil and then in the pepper； and held it to the
sorcerer's nose。
〃Atisha！ atisha！〃 sneezed the old man； but he did not
wake； and the shock made the bronze ring jump out of his
mouth。 Quick as thought the lame mouse snatched up the
precious talisman and carried it off to the boat。
Imagine the despair of the magician when he awoke and
the bronze ring was nowhere to be found！
But by that time our three mice had set sail with their
prize。 A favoring breeze was carrying them toward the
island where the queen of the mice was awaiting them。
Naturally they began to talk about the bronze ring。
〃Which of us deserves the most credit？〃 they cried all
at once。
〃I do；〃 said the blind mouse； 〃for without my
watchfulness our boat would have drifted away to the open sea。〃
〃No； indeed；〃 cried the mouse with the cropped ears；
〃the credit is mine。 Did I not cause the ring to jump out
of the man's mouth？〃
〃No； it is mine；〃 cried the lame one； 〃for I ran off with
the ring。〃
And from high words they soon came to blows； and；
alas！ when the quarrel was fiercest the bronze ring fell into
the sea。
〃How are we to face our queen；〃 said the three mice
〃when by our folly we have lost the talisman and condemned
our people to be utterly exterminated？ We cannot
go back to our country； let us land on this desert
island and there end our miserable lives。〃 No sooner said
than done。 The boat reached the island； and the mice
landed。
The blind mouse was speedily deserted by her two
sisters； who went off to hunt flies； but as she wandered
sadly along the shore she found a dead fish； and was eating
it； when she felt something very hard。 At her cries the
other two mice ran up。
〃It is the bronze ring！ It is the talisman！〃 they cried
joyfully； and； getting into their boat again； they soon
reached the mouse island。 It was time they did； for the
captain was just going to land his cargo of cats； when a
deputation of mice brought him the precious bronze ring。
〃Bronze ring；〃 commanded the young man； 〃obey thy
master。 Let my ship appear as it was before。〃
Immediately the genii of the ring set to work； and the
old black vessel became once more the wonderful golden
ship with sails of brocade； the handsome sailors ran to the
silver masts and the silken ropes； and very soon they set
sail for the capital。
Ah！ how merrily the sailors sang as they flew over the
glassy sea！
At last the port was reached。
The captain landed and ran to the palace； where he
found the wicked old man asleep。 The Princess clasped
her husband in a long embrace。 The magician tried to
escape； but he was seized and bound with strong cords。
The next day the sorcerer； tied to the tail of a savage
mule loaded with nuts； was broken into as many pieces as
there were nuts upon the mule's back。＇1＇
＇1＇ Traditions Populaires de l'Asie Mineure。 Carnoy et
Nicolaides。 Paris： Maisonneuve； 1889。