Part 9 (2/2)
”A little while after in came the sheriff; he was true to time, but as for his man, he had gone another way round by an inn, and there he sat still drinking.
”'Good-day, sir,' he said.
”'Axehaft,' said the ferryman.
”'So, so,” said the sheriff. 'How far off is it to the inn?'
”'Right up to this twig,' said the man, and pointed a little way up the piece of timber.
”The sheriff shook his head and stared at him open-mouthed.
”'Where is your mistress, pray?'
”'I am just going to tar her,' said the ferryman, 'for yonder she lies on the strand, split open at both ends.'
”'Where is your daughter?'
”'Oh, she stands in the stable, big with foal,' answered the man, who thought he answered very much to the purpose.
”'Oh, go to h.e.l.l with you,' said the sheriff.
”'Very good; 'tis not so far off; when you get a bit up the hill, you'll soon get there,' said the man.
”So the sheriff was floored, and went away.”
THE COMPANION.
We all thought Peter's three stories first rate, but he was not going to be put off with praise, and asked Anders if he knew _The Companion_.
”Yes,” was the answer, ”but it's a long story, though a very good one.”
”If it's long, the sooner you begin it the better,” said Peter; ”and then it will be sooner over.”
Anders made no more mouths about it, but began:
THE COMPANION.
”Once on a time there was a farmer's son who dreamt that he was to marry a princess far, far out in the world. She was as red and white as milk and blood, and so rich there was no end to her riches. When he awoke he seemed to see her still standing bright and living before him, and he thought her so sweet and lovely that his life was not worth having unless he had her too. So he sold all he had, and set off into the world to find her out. Well, he went far, and farther than far, and about winter he came to a land where all the high-roads lay right straight on end; there wasn't a bend in any of them. When he had wandered on and on for a quarter of a year he came to a town, and outside the church-door lay a big block of ice, in which there stood a dead body, and the whole parish spat on it as they pa.s.sed by to church. The lad wondered at this, and when the priest came out of church he asked him what it all meant.
”'It is a great wrong-doer,' said the priest. 'He has been executed for his unG.o.dliness, and set up there to be mocked and spat upon.'
”'But what was his wrong-doing?' asked the lad.
”'When he was alive here he was a vintner,' said the priest, 'and he mixed water with his wine.'
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