Page:Popular Tales and Romances of the Northern Nations (Volume 2).djvu/324

312 nature. So filling his pockets, and mounting on his steed, Kibitz set off home, well pleased with his own prudence and ingenuity.

As he passed through the village, every one looked out to see who it should be was mounted on so fine a horse, but how great was their astonishment, at perceiving that it was Kibitz, whom they thought they had fairly killed. But though at first somewhat alarmed, conceiving it to be his spirit, on finding that it was really himself, they determined to get rid of him at all events; and in order to do so the more effectually, seized hold of him, and shut him up in a large cask, in which they resolved to throw him into the sea. All now seemed to be over with poor Kibitz: his good fortune appeared quite at an end, chance and good-luck, however, often effect escapes that prudence cannot contrive. The stars had decreed that Kibitz should be prosperous.

It so chanced that in their way to the sea they passed by an ale-house, and considering that Kibitz could hardly run away while imprisoned