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The effect on me was that by living this pleasant and luxurious life I grew handsome again in body from having my natural food, and my hide shone with a fresh growth of hair. But my most worthy masters, when they saw me growing fat and sleek, although my barley was not consumed, but remained of the same amount, began to suspect my audacity. So they went out as if going to the bath, closed the doors, and applied their eyes to a crack and watched what went on within. Innocent of the fraud, I forthwith advanced and took my dinner. They first burst out laughing at sight of the incredible meal. Then they called the other slaves to see me, and there was a general laugh, so that the master himself heard it, because it made such an uproar outside, and asked what the joke was out there. When he heard he rose up from his wine, peeped in, and saw me swallowing a bit of wild-boar. With a shout of laughter he entered the room. I was greatly disturbed at being discovered by the master as a thief and glutton in one, but he laughed at me for a long time, and began by ordering me to be led in to his supper-party. There he bade them set a table for me, and put on it all sorts of things, such as no other ass could eat-meats, oysters, soup, fish—some dressed with caviare and olive-oil, and some sprinkled with mustard. I, when I saw fortune smiling sweetly on me, and perceived that this foolery only could save me, stood at the table and dined, though I had already made a hearty meal. The company shouted with laughter, and somebody said, "This ass drinks wine, too, if any one will pour some out for him." So the master ordered it, and I drank what was offered me.
