"Jack,"saidthelion,"asyoucansee,therearefourofushere:myself,adog,aneagle,andanant.Wehaveadeaddonkeytoparcelamongus.Sinceyouhaveasword,carvetheanimalandgiveuseachaportion."Jackcutoffthedonkeysheadandgaveittotheant."Hereyouare.Thiswillmakeyouanicehomeandsupplyyouwithallthefoodyoulleverwant."Nexthecutoffthehoofsandgavethemtothedog."Heressomethingtognawonaslongasyoulike."Hecutouttheentrailsandgavethemtotheeagle."Thisisyourfood,whichyoucancarrytothetreetopswhereyouperch."Alltheresthegavetothelion,whichasthebiggestofthefourdeservedthelargestportion.Hegotbackonhishorseandstartedoff,onlytohearhisnamecalled."Dearme,"hethought,"Imusthavemadesomemistakeindividingtheparts."Butthelionsaidtohim,"Youdidusabigfavorandyouwereveryfair.Asonegooddeeddeservesanother,Imgivingyouoneofmyclawswhichwillturnyouintothefiercestlionintheworldwhenyouwearit."Thedogsaid,"Hereisoneofmywhiskers,whichwillturnyouintothefastestdogonearth,wheneveryouplaceitunderyournose."Theeaglesaid,"Hereisafeatherfrommywingswhichcanchangeyouintothebiggestandstrongesteagleinthesky."Theantsaid,"Imgivingyouoneofmytinylegs.Putitonandyouwillbecomeanantsosmallthatnoonecanseeyou,evenwithamagnifyingglass."
Jacktookhispresents,thankedthefouranimals,anddeparted.Ashewasuncertainwhetherthegiftsweremagicornot,thinkingtheanimalsmighthaveplayedajokeonhim,hestoppedassoonashewasoutofsighttotestthem.Hebecamelion,dog,eagle,andant;nextant,eagle,dog,andlion;theneagle,ant,lion,anddog;finallydog,lion,ant,andeagle.Yes,everythingworkedlikeacharm!Allsmiles,hemovedonward.
Beyondtheforestwasalake,onwhoseshorestoodthecastleofBody-without-Soul.Jackchangedintoaneagleandflewstraighttotheedgeofaclosedwindow.Thenhechangedintoanantandcrawledintotheroom.Itwasabeautifulbedchamberwhere,beneathacanopy,laythekingsdaughterasleep.Stillanant,Jackwentcrawlingoverhercheekuntilsheawakened.Thenheremovedthetinyantleg,andthekingsdaughtersuddentlybeheldahandsomeyouthatherside.
"Dontbeafraid,"hesaid,signalingsilence."Ivecometofreeyou.Youmustgetthesorcerertotellyouwhatcouldkillhim."
Whenthesorcererreturned,Jackedchangedbackintoanant.Thekingsdaughtermadeabigto-dooverBody-without-Soul,seatinghimatherfeetanddrawninghisheadontoherlap.Thenshebegan:"Mydarlingsorcerer,Iknowyoureabodywithoutasoulandthereforeincapableofdying.ButIliveinconstantfearofsomeonefindingyoursoulandputtingyoutodeath."
"Icantellyouthesecret,"repliedthesorcerer,"sinceyoureimprisonedhereandcantpossiblybetrayme.Toslaymewouldrequirealionmightyenoughtokilltheblacklionintheforest.Outofthebellyofthedeadlionwouldleapablackdogsoswiftthatonlythefastestdogonearthcouldcatchit.Outofthebellyofthedeadblackdogwouldflyablackeaglethatcouldwithstandeveryeagleunderthesun.Butifbychancethateaglewereslain,ablackeggwouldhavetobetakenoutofitscrawandcrackedovermybrowformysoultoflyawayandleavemedead.Doesallthatseemeasy?Doyouhaveanyrealgroundsforworry?"
Withhistinyantears,Jacktookineveryword,thencrawledbackunderthewindowtotheledge,whereheagainturnedintoaneagleandsoaredintotheforest.Therehechangedintoalionandstalkedtheunderbrushuntilhecamefacetofacewiththeblacklion.Theblacklionjumpedhim,butJack,beingthestrongestlionintheworld,toreittobits.(Backatthecastle,thesorcererfelthisheadspin.)Thelionsbellywasslitopen,andoutboltedaswift-footedblackdog,butJackturnedintothefastestdogonearth,caughthim,andtheyrolledtogetherinaball,bitingeachotheruntiltheblackdoglaydead.(Backatthecastle,thesorcererhadtotaketohisbed.)Thedogsbellywasslitopenandoutflewablackeagle,butJackbecamethemostpowerfuleagleunderthesunandtheysoaredthroughtheskypeckingandclawingeachotheruntiltheblackeaglefoldeditswingsandfelltoearth.(Atthecastle,thesorcererranahighfeverandcurledupunderthebedclothes.)
Jackchangedbackintoaman,openedtheeaglescraw,andremovedtheblackegg.Hereturnedtothecastleandgaveittothekingsdaughter,whowasoverjoyed.
"Howonearthdidyoudoit?"sheasked.
"Nothingtoit,"repliedJack."Therestisnowuptoyou."
Thekingsdaughterenteredthesorcerersbedchamber,asking,"Howdoyoufeel?"
"Woesme!Ivebeenbetrayed"
"Ibroughtyouacupofbroth.Drinksome."
Thesorcerersatupinhisbedandbentovertodrinkthebroth.
"Here,letmebreakaneggintoitandgiveitmorebody."Atthat,thekingsdaughterbroketheblackeggoverhisbrowandBody-without-Souldiedonthespot.
Jacktookthekingsdaughterhometoherfather.Everyonewasoverjoyed,andtheyoungcouplewasmarriedforthwith.
(Rivieraligurediponente)
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