Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/136

 114 as agreed upon. The object told him that he might, and on the following night presented him with a complete suit of clothes, some money, and a horse. The young man departed and journeyed on until he reached the place agreed upon to meet his brother. He found that his brother had his hands rough and horny from hard work, whilst his own hands were smooth and white because he had done no work during the whole of that year. They went home and their sister was delighted to see them back again. When they were again leaving home she gave each of them a pound weight of flax, telling them that in a year's time they must return bringing it spun. The brothers took leave of one another and each went his way. When the youngest arrived at the palace, he told the unknown object that always came into his bed every night, and which proved to be nothing else but a tick, that his sister had given him so much flax which she had ordered him to take spun to her in a year's time. The tick made very light of the work, and merely remarked that it was a very easy task indeed and he need not be troubled about doing it so soon. When the year had nearly expired he asked her for it so as to spin it in time to take it home; and that instant the tick produced the flax beautifully spun and ready packed to take with him: and she gave him also another suit of clothes, money, and a horse, and the youth left the palace to go and meet his brother. The brother was carrying the flax in his hand very badly spun and carelessly folded, and it was of a very ugly yellow colour. He asked his brother—"Where is your flax for I do not see it?" And great was his surprise when he saw that he carried it in a little dainty basket. When the two brothers arrived at the sister's house she was very much surprised to find that one of her brothers brought his pound of flax very badly and loosely spun, whilst the other brought it so well spun and so neatly packed. On the brothers' departure she gave them each a puppy