The dog was very much excited by this address. “Don’t ask me, my dear little friend,” said he; “you must be aware that I should be too happy to escape out of this cold cave, and roll on the soft turf once more: but if I leave my master, the griffin, those cursed serpents, who are always on the watch, will come in and steal his treasure,--nay, perhaps, sting him to death.” Then the little dog came up to the watch-dog, and remonstrated with him greatly, and licked him caressingly on both sides of his face; and, taking him by the ear, endeavoured to draw him from the treasure: but the dog would not stir a step, though his heart sorely pressed him. At length the little dog, finding it all in vain, said, “Well, then, if I must leave, good-by; but I have become so hungry in coming down all this way after you, that I wish you would give me one of those bones; they smell very pleasantly, and one out of so many could never be missed.” “Alas!” said the watchdog, with tears in his eyes, “how unlucky I am to have eaten up the bone my master gave me, otherwise you should have had it and welcome. But I can’t give you one of these, because my master has made me promise to watch over them all, and I have given him my paw on it. I am sure a dog of your respectable appearance will say nothing further on the subject.” Then the little dog answered pettishly, “Pooh, what nonsense you talk! surely a great griffin can’t miss a little bone fit for me?” and nestling his nose under the watch-dog, he tried forthwith to bring up one of the bones.