CHAPTER IV.

GOTHAMITE DROLLERIES( continued).

upon

ALES of sharpers' trickssimpletons do not quite fall withinthe scope of the present series ofpapers, but there is one, in theArabian Nights- not found, however, in ourcommon English version of that fascinatingstory- book- which deserves a place amongnoodle- stories, since it is so diverting, is notvery generally known, and is probably theoriginal of the early Italian novel of the MonkTransformed, which is ascribed to MicheleColombo:

A rustic simpleton was walking homewarddragging his ass after him by the halter,which a brace of sharpers observing, onesaid to his fellow," Come with me, and I willtake the ass from that man." He thenquietly advanced to the ass, unloosed it fromthe halter, and gave the animal to his com-panion, who went off with it, after which heput the halter over his own head, and allowed

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