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 Rh Then the angel went to the second brother whose sheep covered the field, and begged him for a piece of cheese; he also drove the angel away, saying,—

"If I were to give a piece of cheese to everybody that asks for it, there would be nothing left for me."

When the angel heard this he made the sign of the cross with his staff, and the sheep changed into pigeons again; then the angel said to him,—

"Riches were not good for you; go home and attend to your pear-tree again."

At last the angel went to the youngest brother in order to see how he was getting on, and he found him living with his wife in a poor hut in the forest. The angel asked him for a night's lodging, and they received him with all their hearts, and begged him to excuse them that they could not entertain him as they wished, "for" they added, "we are very poor." And the angel answered them, "Never mind; I shall be satisfied with whatever it is."

What were they to do? They had no corn to make bread with, but they used to pound the bark of trees and make bread of it. Such bread the woman prepared also for the visitor, and put it under an earthen cover to bake.

Whilst the bread was baking they entertained the visitor with conversation. When, some time afterwards, they looked to see whether the bread was baked yet, they