"Very well, very well, I'll leave out the ash-tray," said the Tea-Cosy. "But do you know also how when he wanted his mother to do anything in particular for him, he thrust his face into roses covered with dew?" "No, we don't know that." "Well," continued the Tea-Cosy, "when he withdrew his face it would be covered with dew from the roses, and he would say to his mother: "'Only look how I am crying....' "Djorak thought of this and of a thousand other things. He had an excellent memory. "Meanwhile the moment of his death was approaching. [Illustration: THE EXECUTIONER BANDAGED HIS EYES] "The Executioner bandaged his eyes, then turned towards the crowd and, according to custom, demanded: "'Has any one in this town any objection to the way in which I am about to employ this magnificent pair of scissors?' "The Chief of Police answered, also according to custom: 'Have the scissors been sharpened according to rule?' "The crowd merely cried out, 'Can they cut?' "The Executioner thereupon took several old newspapers and, holding them out before the crowd, began to cut them into fine strips. Next he took some old cardboard boxes, which he treated in the same way. Finally he cut up whole logs of wood into thin circles. In order that every one might see, he did these things in front of him, behind him, to the right and to the left. "These experiments seemed to satisfy the crowd; but the Chief of Police still hesitated. Finally he approached the Executioner and, leaning forward, said in his ear: "'Excuse me, I beg of you, my dear friend, if I seem indiscreet; but I am merely doing my duty. The King has particularly commanded that all the rules shall be observed. Therefore you will understand that I am bound to ask you three questions to assure myself that you really have the strength to use these scissors successfully. "'1. Have you eaten three hard-boiled eggs this morning? "'2. Have you eaten three rashers of bacon this morning? "'3. Have you played a game of football this morning?' "To each question the Executioner replied with a nod of the head. "'Then get on with it,' said the Chief of Police. "The Executioner raised the scissors towards the sky, turning himself about to all points of the compass. Then with a brisk movement he lowered the scissors, opened them and shut them again, and the head of Djorak tumbled to the ground." [Illustration: NEXT HE TOOK SOME OLD CARDBOARD BOXES] "But that's the same Djorak who is here in the prison of the sugar-canes," interrupted Smaly, who in spite of his habit of being astounded at nothing could not help showing a little astonishment. [Illustration: OPENED THEM AND SHUT THEM AGAIN] "Don't be so impatient," replied the Mother of the Crow imperturbably. "You'll understand in a moment or two. Now I have already told you that Djorak had a very good memory. At the moment when his head was falling he remembered that he had always heard one doesn't die immediately when one's head is cut off.