soldiers, and each should have a quart of spirits and a fine red cap.
The people laughed.
'We have plenty of spirits,' said they. 'We make it ourselves; and as for caps, the women make all kinds of them, even striped ones with tassels.'
So nobody would enlist.
The old Devil came to Iván and said: 'Your fools won't enlist of their own free will. We shall have to make them.'
'All right,' said Iván, 'you can try.'
So the old Devil gave notice that all the people were to enlist, and that Iván would put to death any one who refused.
The people came to the General and said, 'You say that if we do not go as soldiers the King will put us to death, but you don't say what will happen if we do enlist. We have heard say that soldiers get killed!'
'Yes, that happens sometimes.'
When the people heard this they became obstinate.
'We won't go,' said they. 'Better meet death at home. Either way we must die.'
'Fools! You are fools!' said the old Devil. 'A soldier may be killed or he may not, but if you don't go, King Iván will have you killed for certain.'
The people were puzzled, and went to Iván the Fool to consult him.
'A General has come,' said they, 'who says we must all become soldiers. "If you go as soldiers," says he, "you may be killed or you may not, but if you don't go, King Iván will certainly kill you." Is this true?'
Iván laughed and said, 'How can I, alone, put all you to death? If I were not a fool I would explain it to you, but as it is, I don't understand it myself.'
'Then,' said they, 'we will not serve.'
'All right,' says he, 'don't.'
So the people went to the General and refused to enlist. And the old Devil saw that this game was up, and he went off and ingratiated himself with the King of Tarakán.
