  An optimal extension of the Jensen covering lemma, within the limits imposed
by Prikry forcing, is proved. If L[E] is an "iterable" weasel with no
measurable cardinals, then either L[E] has "indiscernibles", or every
uncountable set of ordinals is contained in a set in L[E] of the same
cardinality. (The terms "iterable" and "indiscernibles" are made precise in the
paper.) Most importantly, there is no hypothesis explicitly limiting the large
cardinals which are consistent in L[E].
