484 Collectanea.
come from, and what do you want?" "Sir, I have heard that you employ many labourers ; engage me also and I will work for my bread." "Go, look after the poultry," he replies.
Let her remain here while we go back to the general. The general returned, and said to the King's son, — " Your wife killed her two sons, and ran away in the night." Then the Prince takes the general and many soldiers, and sets out to seek his wife. They stop at the house of M. Pazig. They make many inquiries, but can learn nothing. As they are dining together in the evening, the Prince asks, — " Is there no story-teller here ? Let us hear a story." The poultry-herder hears the request, and says, — " I will tell a story." M. Pazig objects, saying, — " It would be a shame. Don't let that dirty fellow appear before the Prince." But the Prince hears of it, and says, — " Let him come ; that is no matter." Then the fellow with the tall cap came and sat down, and said, — " I will tell a story, but the chief man of the village and the general must come and sit here. I will lock the doors, and no one must leave the room until I have finished my story." They called the general and the chief. When they had come, the doors were locked, and then the story-teller began to tell all that had happened. When the chief was mentioned, he was taken with a sudden pain ; when the general was mentioned, the general was taken with a sudden pain ; but they were not allowed to go away till the story was finished. Then the story-teller turned, and said, — " You are my father, this is my brother, and this is my husband ; that is the devil of a chief, and over yonder is the uncle of the devil, the general, and I am I."
Then off goes the head of the general, and the chief is thrust through with a sword. Father and son, husband and wife, rejoice together- Three apples fell from heaven.
J. S. WiNGATE.
{To be continued.)
