The Cauldron is Dead

One day the Cogia borrowed a cauldron of a brazier, and carrying it home, put a little saucepan into it, and then carrying it back, returned it to its owner.

The owner seeing a little saucepan in the cauldron, said, 'What is this?'

'Why,' cried the Cogia, 'the cauldron has borne a child', whereupon the owner took possession of the saucepan.

One day the Cogia asked again for the cauldron, and having obtained it, carried it home. The owner of the cauldron waited one day and even five days for his utensil, but no cauldron coming, he went to the house of the Cogia and knocked at the door.

The Cogia coming to the door, said, 'What do you want?'

'The cauldron,' said the man.

'Oh, set your heart at rest,' said the Cogia, 'the cauldron is dead.'

'O Cogia,' said the man, 'can a cauldron die?'

'Oh,' said the Cogia, 'as you believed it could bear a child, why should you not believe that it can die?'