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Rh call every one in to drink, and you shall have a really riotous feast,"

And the peasant went and called all his neighbours and asked for tubs.

"What do you want all these tubs and pails for?" they asked him.

"Oh, I really want them at once, as I have not vessels enough to hold my beer."

And the neighbours whispered: "What on earth does he mean? Is the good fellow gone mad? There is not a crust of bread in his house, and he is still chattering about beer." Well, somehow or other, he got twenty pails and tubs together, put them all round the well, and began to haul them up. And the beer turned out so fine, finer than ever anybody could think or guess, or any tale could tell. And he filled all the tubs to the very brim, and the well was as full as ever. And he began to cry out aloud and to call guests to his door.

"Come to me, good Christians, and drink strong beer here, such beer as you never saw in your life!"

And the people looked round. "What on earth was he up to? Surely you take water out of a well, and he calls it beer? Anyhow, let's go and see, whatever knavery it may be." So they all rushed up to the tubs, and they began to ladle it out and to look at it. Evidently, after all, it must be beer. And they said: "Such beer we have never drunk before!" His courtyard was full of the village folk. And the master was not at a loss to ladle beer out of the well for himself, and treated all of his guests right royally.

When the rich peasant heard of this, he came to the poor man's courtyard, tasted the beer, and began to ask the poor man: "Please to tell me how ever you managed to make such magnificent beer?"

"Oh, there was not any cleverness about it," the poor