Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/76

 54 and departed. The man returned home feeling most happy, and related to his wife what had occurred to him with the old man he had met on the road, and he showed her the bag of money he had given him. The girl grew to be seven years of age, and the man, who had become very rich, felt loth to take the girl to the spot arranged upon; yet as he promised to do so he took her. When he reached the place he found the godfather waiting for them. Saint Peter then said to the man, "Go away and leave her here with me, as I shall take charge of her." And the man returned home without his daughter. Saint Peter took the girl by a road where there was a pear-tree loaded with fruit. Saint Peter asked the girl, "Do you see those pears?" "I do," replied the girl. "And do you like them?" asked Saint Peter. "I like them very much, godfather," replied the girl. They went on further, and they saw some very fat sheep in a place of very poor pasture. After this they met other sheep which were very lean, notwithstanding there was plenty of pasture. They proceeded on further, and at a great distance they descried a great blaze, and by it a dark column rising up. Saint Peter said to the girl, "Do you see that blaze?" The girl replied, "I can see it, godfather; what is it?" Saint Peter replied, "What you see there is purgatory, where people go who are. proud and wicked. Did you not see those sheep that were lean with so much food before them? Those are persons who are proud and are sent there for their purgatory. And did you not see those fat sheep with very little to feed upon? Those are the good people who did much good in this world and who go to heaven. And did you perceive that pear-tree loaded with fruit? The pears are the angels, who being good also go to heaven. And now you are going into service, and will have to put up with many, many untoward things, because those that suffer and are patient go to heaven." After this Saint Peter gave her much good advice, and told her to call upon him whenever she should