Page:Korolenko - Makar's Dream and Other Stories.djvu/302

278 of magpies they are! What need to tell what they're not asked about? And how in the world did they find it out? Though it only happened in the village to-night, they have heard the whole story in the hay-fields! Why on earth does God allow women to live in this world?"

"And what did my friend try to do to the widow's daughter?" asked the devil, looking about him as if he weren't particularly interested in the story.

So the magpies went on to tell him everything, talking all at once, and laid the whole affair before him from beginning to end.

The devil shook his head.

"Oi, oi, oi! That's bad, very bad. I don't suppose any one ever heard of your former inn-keeper Yankel doing anything like that?"

"Oh, what Jew ever thought of doing such a thing?"

"Oh, no, never!"

"I see, my daisies, my little peaches, that you don't love my friend very much."

"Let him get the love of all the devils; he needn't expect any from us!"

"Oi, oi, oi, you don't wish him much good, I see!"

"May the fever take him and shake him to pieces!"

"May he follow his uncle into the pond!"

"May the devil carry him off as he carried off Yankel!"

They all burst out laughing.