‘ſooth, never fail to return mighty thanks for their parents care and trouble! Thy boys will ſqueeze the laſt farthing out of thy pocket, when the emperor preſſes them for ſoldiers, and ſends them far away beyond Hungary, to be ſlaughtered by the Turks.’
‘That gives me ſmall concern: if they are killed they will die in the ſervice of their king and country; but they may bring home prize-money, and comfort their aged parents.’
The ſpirit now renewed his propoſals for the boy; but the mother diſdained to return him any anſwer; ſhe raked up the leaves, and ſtuffed them into the baſket, on the top of which ſhe tied the little ſqualler faſt by his leading-ſtrings; and Number-Nip turned away, as if he was departing about his buſineſs; but the woman, finding the burden too heavy to lift, called him back; ‘I called you once,’ ſaid ſhe, ‘and you came; be ſo good as come again, and help me up with this
‘load;
