Page:Sagas from the Far East; or, Kalmouk and Mongolian traditionary tales.djvu/109

Rh brought back the goblet. Thus he had both the stick and the goblet.

Farther on he saw a man coming who carried an iron hammer.

"What is your hammer good for?" inquired he as they met.

"My hammer is so good," replied the traveller, "that when I strike it nine times on the ground immediately there rises up an iron tower nine storeys high."

"Yours is a good hammer," replied the turbulent man, "but look at my goblet; whatever you desire of meat or drink this same goblet provides for the wishing. Will you change your hammer against my goblet?"

"That will I gladly," replied the wayfarer.

But the turbulent man, having once effected the exchange, cried to the stick, "Fly, that man has stolen my goblet, fly after him and kill him and bring me back the goblet." The command was executed as soon as spoken, and the turbulent man thus became possessed of the hammer as well as the stick and the goblet.

Farther on he saw a man carrying a goat's leather bag.

"What is your bag good for?" inquired he as they met.

"My bag is so good that I have but to shake it and