THE MERCHANT.
Troubles are usually the brooms and shovels that smooth the road to a man's good fortune, of which he little dreams; and many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head, and knows not that it brings abundance to drive away hunger; as is seen in the person of a young man, of whom I will tell you.
It is said that there was once a very rich merchant named Antoniello, who had two sons, Cienzo and Meo, so alike that there was no telling the one from the other. It happened that Cienzo, the elder brother, was one day playing at throwing stones on the seashore with the son of the king of Naples, and by chance broke his companion's head. Whereat Antoniello flew into a rage, and said to him, "Bravo! here's a pretty piece of work indeed! write to your friends and boast of what you have done! you have broken what was worth a groat—you have broken the head of the king's son, and never counted the cost, you blockhead! What will become
