was a heap of bones on the floor, the skin hanging on the nail behind the door, and the skull grinning in the window.
Without a word he gathered the bones into the table-cloth and started back.
As he neared home the old dog said:
“Bow-wow, mistress, here comes the master and it’s rattle-rattle before him and rattle-rattle behind him.”
“Not so, old dog!” cried the woman. “It’s chink-chink before him, and chink-chink behind him!”
But the old dog kept on barking and saying:
“No, no, bow-wow, it’s rattle-rattle before him and rattle-rattle behind him!”
In a rage the woman took a stick and beat the dog.
Then the man stepped into the cottage and at once his wife brought out a basket for the ducats. But when he shook out the table-cloth there was only the rattle-rattle of bones.
