Part 12 (1/2)

”You are not going to hoax me in that way,” said the host. ”The soldier has been here, but went out of the door like an honest fellow.

I took care of that. You are the thieves, and you shall pay for the geese.”

However, as the men had no money to pay him with, he took a stick and beat them out of doors.

Meanwhile, as Brother Merry journeyed on, he came to a place where there was a n.o.ble castle, and not far from it a little public-house.

Into this he went, and asked for a night's lodging, but the landlord said that his house was full of guests, and he could not accommodate him.

”I wonder,” said Brother Merry, ”that the people should all come to you, instead of going to that castle.”

”They have good reason for what they do,” said the landlord, ”for whoever has attempted to spend the night at the castle has never come back to show how he was entertained.”

”If others have attempted it, why shouldn't I?” said Merry.

”You had better leave it alone,” said the host; ”you are only thrusting your head into danger.”

”No fear of danger,” said the soldier, ”only give me the key and plenty to eat and drink.”

The hostess gave him what he asked for, and he went off to the castle, relished his supper, and when he found himself sleepy, laid himself down on the floor, for there was no bed in the place. He soon went to sleep, but in the night he was awoke by a great noise, and when he aroused himself he discovered nine very ugly devils dancing in a circle which they had made around him.

”Dance as long as you like,” said Brother Merry; ”but don't come near me.”

But the devils came drawing nearer and nearer, and at last they almost trod on his face with their misshapen feet.

”Be quiet,” said he, but they behaved still worse.

At last he got angry, and crying--

”Holla! I'll soon make you quiet,” he caught hold of the leg of a stool and struck about him.

Nine devils against one soldier were, however, too much, and while he laid about l.u.s.tily on those before him, those behind pulled his hair and pinched him miserably.

”Ay, ay, you pack of devils, now you are too hard for me,” said he; ”but wait a bit. I wish all the nine devils were in my knapsack,”

cried he, and it was no sooner said than done.

There they were. Then Brother Merry buckled it up close, and threw it into a corner, and as all was now still he lay down and slept till morning, when the landlord of the inn and the n.o.bleman to whom the castle belonged came to see how it had fared with him. When they saw him sound and lively, they were astonished, and said--

”Did the ghosts, then, do nothing to you?”

”Why, not exactly,” said Merry; ”but I have got them all nine in my knapsack. You may dwell quietly enough in your castle now; from henceforth they won't trouble you.”

The n.o.bleman thanked him and gave him great rewards, begging him to remain in his service, saying that he would take care of him all the days of his life.

”No,” answered he; ”I am used to wander and rove about. I will again set forth.”

He went on until he came to a smithy, into which he went, and laying his knapsack on the anvil, bade the smith and all his men hammer away upon it as hard as they could. They did as they were directed, with their largest hammers and all their might, and the poor devils set up a piteous howling. When the men opened the knapsack there were eight of them dead, but one who had been snug in a fold was still alive, and he slipped out and ran away to his home in a twinkling.

After this Brother Merry wandered about the world for a long time; but at last he grew old, and began to think about his latter end, so he went to a hermit who was held to be a very pious man and said--