Part 40 (2/2)

”'It's worse for me than for you,' said the beggarman. I have no penny, and a bigger body and less clothing.'

”'Well, you may have it,' said the lad.

”So he went awhile farther, till he got weary, and then he sat down to rest; but he had scarce sat down than a third beggarman came to him. He was so tall and ugly and long, that the lad had to look up and up, right up to the sky. And when he took him all in with his eyes, and saw how very, very tall and ugly and ragged he was he fell a-screeching and screaming again.

”'Now, don't you be afraid of me, my lad,' said the beggarman. 'I'll do you no harm; for I am only a beggarman, who begs for a penny in G.o.d's name.'

”'May heaven help me!' said the lad. 'I have only one penny left, and with it I was going to the town to buy clothes. If I had only met you sooner, then----'

”'As for that,' said the beggarman, 'I have no penny at all--that I haven't, and a bigger body and less clothes, so it is worse for me than for you.'

”'Yes!' said little Freddy, he must have the penny then--there was no help for it; for so each would have what belonged to him, and he would have nothing.

”'Well!' said the beggarman, 'since you have such a good heart that you gave away all that you had in the world, I will give you a wish for each penny.' For you must know it was the same beggarman who had got them all three; he had only changed his shape each time, that the lad might not know him again.

”'I have always had such a longing to hear a fiddle go, and see folk so glad and merry that they couldn't help dancing,' said the lad; and so, if I may wish what I choose, I will wish myself such a fiddle, that everything that has life must dance to its tune.'

”'That he might have,' said the beggarman; but it was a sorry wish. 'You must wish something better for the other two pennies.'

”'I have always had such a love for hunting and shooting,' said little Freddy; 'so if I may wish what I choose, I will wish myself such a gun that I shall hit everything I aim at, were it ever so far off.'

”'That he might have,' said the beggarman; 'but it was a sorry wish. You must wish better for the last penny.'

”'I have always had a longing to be in company with folk who were kind and good,' said little Freddy; and so, if I could get what I wish, I would wish it to be so that no one can say 'Nay' to the first thing I ask.'

”'That wish was not so sorry,' said the beggarman; and off he strode between the hills, and he saw him no more. And so the lad laid down to sleep, and the next day he came down from the fell with his fiddle and his gun.

”First he went to the storekeeper and asked for clothes, and at one farm he asked for a horse, and at another for a sledge; and at this place he asked for a fur-coat, and no one said him 'Nay,'--even the stingiest folk, they were all forced to give him what he asked for. At last he went through the country as a fine gentleman, and had his horse and his sledge; and so when he had gone a bit he met the sheriff with whom he had served.

”'Good-day, master,' said Little Freddy, as he pulled up and took off his hat.

”'Good-day,' said the sheriff. And then he went on, 'When was I ever your master?'

”'Oh, yes!' said little Freddy. 'Don't you remember how I served you three years for three pence?'

”'Heaven help us!' said the sheriff. 'How you have got on all of a hurry! And pray how was it that you got to be such a fine gentleman?'

”'Oh, that's telling!' said little Freddy.

”'And are you full of fun, that you carry a fiddle about with you?'

asked the sheriff.

”'Yes! yes!' said Freddy. 'I have always had such a longing to get folk to dance; but the funniest thing of all is this gun, for it brings down almost anything that I aim at, however far it may be off. Do you see that magpie yonder, sitting in the spruce fir? What'll you bet I don't bag it, as we stand here?'

”On that the sheriff was ready to stake horse and groom, and a hundred dollars beside, that he couldn't do it; but, as it was, he would bet all the money he had about him; and he would go to fetch it when it fell--for he never thought it possible for any gun to carry so far.

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