PETITON
By sunrise, he was back home.
“Hello, Mother. Last night you said to me: “It’s not you who will ever take the wolf by the tail." Look, Mother, and forgive me for making you lie. Now I'm done being confident. Those who deceive me from now on will be able to boast of being wise."
Having said this, Petiton went and took a superb ram from the stable, bled it, and skinned it, taking care to let the horns stick to the skin. Then he clothed the great wolf with it so well that the evil beast looked like a real ram.
“Farewell, Mother. I'm leaving for the Dunes Fair. Count on that the two scoundrel cattle dealers will soon have news of me.
"Goodbye, my son. May the Good Lord lead you!"
At exactly noon, Petiton arrived, with his great wolf, dressed as a ram, on the Dunes fairground.
The two scoundrel cattle dealers approached.
“Hello, Petiton."
"Hello, my friends. Well, are you happy with my oxen?"
"Very happy, Petiton. But you made us pay dearly for them. Finally, we have given you the right, the reason. You have nothing to reproach us for."
"My friends, you have acted like good people. The Good Lord wants everyone to be like you."
"Petiton, how much are you asking for this ram?"
"My friends, I ask dearly for it, because it has no equal in the world. Every night he is able to cover a hundred sheep. Three months later, each of them gives birth to two lambs, to repeat three times a year."
"Petiton, this is a very brave male. And how many are you asking for?"
"My friends, I ask as much as oxen. I am asking for the right thing, the reason."
"Petiton, you are asking for a lot."
"My friends, I am asking for the right thing, the reason. You won't get it for two farthings less."
"Well, Petiton, the ram is sold. Get over there and wait for us. Time to go to town to find the right thing, the reason."
The two scoundrel cattle dealers left, and soon returned, each carrying a paper cone.
“Here, Petiton. Here is the right one. Be careful not to lose it."
"Here, Petiton. That's the reason. Be careful not to lose it."
"My friends, don't worry. And now the ram is yours. I hope you will resell it at a great profit."
The two scoundrel cattle dealers left, with the ram, and Petiton returned to his mother. On the way, he rubbed his hands and thought:
“Go, good people, go and lock this great wolf in a stable of a hundred sheep."
The two scoundrel cattle dealers did exactly that. Once alone, the great wolf quickly escaped his ram's skin. Immediately he fell upon the hundred sheep. The poor animals jumped in terror. At the stable door, the two scoundrel dealers were listening.
“Petiton didn’t lie. Here is a very brave male. How he struggles!"
But the next morning it was another matter. The two scoundrel dealers opened the door to the stable. Immediately, the big wolf galloped away.
“Billion Gods!” A wolf! A big wolf! Billion Gods! Our hundred sheep are strangled. Petiton took revenge on us. Billion Gods! This will not happen like that!"
The two scoundrel cattle dealers took their sticks and left. But Petiton was wary. At the break of dawn, he whistled for his dog Mouret, a brave animal, strong, wise, well trained like no other. Everything his master ordered him, he understood, and did it the first time. All Mouret lacked was speech.
Source: Petiton, from the French book Contes populaires de la Gascogne, tome 3, published in 1886
Hello, my name is Vincent Celier.
I am writing translations of folk tales that I found in public domain French books, so that people who do not understand French may enjoy them too.
This time, Petiton was not fooled by the two scoundrel cattle dealers. But those two scoundrels were fooled by Petiton.
Now they are plotting their revenge?
How will Petiton be able to defend himself? With his dog?
When we arrived at my house in Harrison Hot Springs, we found my daughter Betty and her son Nathaneil (E.I.L, not I.E.L!) who live there at the moment.
They were living in Richmond before, but the rent was too high. So, as Betty is able as a strata manager to work mostly remotely, they moved to Harrison Hot Springs last July, after Nathaneil graduated from high school.
The living room in the house has no real ceiling. The picture below was taken from the upper floor, where I am using my computer.
The bookcase was custom-made for me 10 years ago. I have read 99% of the books (except the encyclopedias) and watched all the DVDs and Blu-rays.
To avoid all the heat from staying in the second level, there are two big fans that rotate continuously. They are very silent.
-- Vincent Celier