ANTS, AMPHISBJENAS, BASILISKS 



13 



quality of all ants against themselves. The industrious 

 creatures could not bear to see anything standing empty 

 or useless, and the treasure seekers, being aware of this, 

 got together several mares, who had young foals, and 

 placed on their backs empty vessels, which were open at 

 the top, and reached nearly to the ground. As soon as 

 the mares approached the hill, and began to graze, out 



came the ants and began to fill the vessels. While this 

 was going on, the foals had somehow been kept at a 

 d ; stance by the men, but as soon as they guessed the 

 vessels to be almost full, they drove out the little creatures, 

 who began to whinny after their mothers. At the sound 

 of their cries, away galloped the mares, gold and all, and 

 however often this trick was repeated, it never failed to 

 be successful. 



