At
the end of a week he came again; but the Cogia appearing to have forgot
him, said, 'Who may you be?' 'I am the person who brought the hare,'
said the man; whereupon the Cogia again entertained him. After some days
a number of men made their appearance and wanted to be entertained. 'Who
may you be?' said the Cogia. 'We are the neighbours of the man who
brought you the hare,' said they. A few days after a whole troop of men
arriving, the Cogia asked them who they were? 'We are the neighbours of
the neighbours of the man who brought the hare,' said they. 'You are
quite welcome,' said the Cogia, and placed before them a large jar of
pure water; on seeing which they said, 'What is this?' 'The water of the
water of the hare is what it is,' said the Cogia.
One day the Cogia, whilst labouring in the field, found a tortoise, and,
seizing hold of it, tied a string round its neck and hung it to his
spade. The tortoise beginning to cry and squeal, 'It is of no use
crying,' said the Cogia, 'you must now learn to work.'
One day the Cogia, being on the point of death, called his neighbours
about him. The neighbours coming, began to eat and make merry, without
saying to the Cogia, 'Come and partake.' The Cogia incensed, got up and
went out. After a little time they sought for the Cogia, and could not
find him; so dispersing themselves about, they went after him, and at
last found him.
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