The farmer 's wife , however , would touch nothing , and at last declared that the only supper she wanted was one of the onions the poor man was cooking at the fire . Of course he gave it to her , though he would gladly have eaten it himself , as three onions are not much at the end of a long day 's walk , and soon after they all went to sleep , the poor man making himself as comfortable as he could in his corner . A few hours later the farmer was aroused by the cries and groans of his wife . ` Oh , I feel so ill , I 'm sure I 'm going to die , ' wept she . ` It was that onion , I know it was . I wish I had never eaten it . It must have been poisoned . ' ` If the man has poisoned you he shall pay for it , ' said her husband , and seizing a thick stick he ran downstairs and began to beat the poor man , who had been sound asleep , and had nothing to defend himself with . Luckily , the noise aroused the younger brother , who jumped up and snatched the stick from the farmer 's hand , saying : ` We are both going to Evora to try a law-suit . Come too , and accuse him there if he has attempted to rob you or murder you , but do n't kill him now , or you will get yourself into trouble . ' ` Well , perhaps you are right , ' answered the farmer , ` but the sooner that fellow has his deserts , the better I shall be pleased , ' and without more words he went to the stables and brought out a horse for himself and also the black Andalusian mare ridden by the rich man , while the poor brother , fearing more ill-treatment , started at once on foot . Now all that night it had rained heavily , and did not seem likely to stop , and in some places the road was so thick with mud that it was almost impossible to get across it . In one spot it was so very bad that a mule laden with baggage had got stuck in it , and tug as he might , his master was quite unable to pull him out . The muleteer in despair appealed to the two horseman , who were carefully skirting the swamp at some distance off , but they paid no heed to his cries , and he began to talk cheerfully to his mule , hoping to keep up his spirits , declaring that if the poor beast would only have a little patience help was sure to come . And so it did , for very soon the poor brother reached the place , bespattered with mud from head to foot , but ready to do all he could to help with the mule and his master . First they set about finding some stout logs of wood to lay down on the marsh so that they could reach the mule , for by this time his frantic struggles had broken his bridle , and he was deeper in than ever . Stepping cautiously along the wood , the poor man contrived to lay hold of the animal 's tale , and with a desperate effort the mule managed to regain his footing on dry ground , but at the cost of leaving his tail in the poor man 's hand . When he saw this the muleteer 's anger knew no bounds , and forgetting that without the help given him he would have lost his mule altogether , he began to abuse the poor man , declaring that he had ruined his beast , and the law would make him pay for it . Then , jumping on the back of the mule , which was so glad to be out of the choking mud that he did not seem to mind the loss of his tail , the ungrateful wretch rode on , and that evening reached the inn at Evora , where the rich man and the farmer had already arrived for the night . Meanwhile the poor brother walked wearily along , wondering what other dreadful adventures were in store for him . '
I shall certainly be condemned for one or other of them , ' thought he sadly ; ` and after all , XXXXX I have to die , I would rather choose my own death than leave it to my enemies , ' and as soon as he entered Evora he looked about for a place suitable for carrying out the plan he had made .
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