His mother hurried into the house , and opening the linen-chest where she kept her daughters ' wedding outfits , she took out table-cloths and sheets made of the finest linen , and spread them flat and smooth on the ground . Antonio placed the donkey on them , and called out ` Bricklebrit . ' But this time he met with no success , for the donkey took no more notice of the magic word than he would have done if a lyre had been twanged in his ear . Two , three , and four times did Antonio pronounce ` Bricklebrit , ' but all in vain , and he might as well have spoken to the wind . Disgusted and furious with the poor creature , he seized a thick stick and began to beat it so hard that he nearly broke every bone in its body . The miserable donkey was so distracted at such treatment that , far from pouring out precious stones , it only tore and dirtied all the fine linen . When poor Masella saw her table-cloths and sheets being destroyed , and that instead of becoming rich she had only been made a fool of , she seized another stick and belaboured Antonio so unmercifully with it , that he fled before her , and never stopped till he reached the ogre 's cave . When his master saw the lad returning in such a sorry plight , he understood at once what had happened to him , and making no bones about the matter , he told Antonio what a fool he had been to allow himself to be so imposed upon by the landlord , and to let a worthless animal be palmed off on him instead of his magic donkey . Antonio listened humbly to the ogre 's words , and vowed solemnly that he would never act so foolishly again . And so a year passed , and once more Antonio was overcome by a fit of home-sickness , and felt a great longing to see his own people again . Now the ogre , although he was so hideous to look upon , had a very kind heart , and when he saw how restless and unhappy Antonio was , he at once gave him leave to go home on a visit . At parting he gave him a beautiful table-cloth , and said : ` Give this to your mother ; but see that you do n't lose it as you lost the donkey , and till you are safely in your own house beware of saying `` Table-cloth , open , '' and `` Table-cloth , shut . '' If you do , the misfortune be on your own head , for I have given you fair warning . ' Antonio set out on his journey , but hardly had he got out of sight of the cave than he laid the table-cloth on the ground and said , ` Table-cloth , open . ' In an instant the table-cloth unfolded itself and disclosed a whole mass of precious stones and other treasures . When Antonio perceived this he said , ` Table-cloth , shut , ' and continued his journey . He came to the same inn again , and calling the landlord to him , he told him to put the table-cloth carefully away , and whatever he did not to say ` Table-cloth , open , ' or ` Table-cloth , shut , ' to it . The landlord , who was a regular rogue , answered , ` Just leave it to me , I will look after it as if it were my own . ' After he had given Antonio plenty to eat and drink , and had provided him with a comfortable bed , he went straight to the table-cloth and said , ` Table-cloth , open . ' It opened at once , and displayed such costly treasures that the landlord made up his mind on the spot to steal it .
When Antonio awoke next morning , the host handed him over a table-cloth exactly like his own , and carrying it carefully over his arm , the foolish youth went straight to his mother 's house , and said : ` Now we shall be rich beyond the dreams XXXXX avarice , and need never go about in rags again , or lack the best of food . '
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