Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/271

Rh ever, I will forgive you if you fall down on your knees and promise faithfully to treat me with the same respect that your father treated me before you. If you promise this, the husband of the old lady who is sending you to the gallows shall become alive and well again."

The blacksmith did not wait to be told twice; anything would be better than being hung. So he fell down before the devil and stammered out his promise, saying that he would never again think of knocking him about with the hammer, but would from henceforth treat him with all possible respect and courtesy.

The devil then ran to the smithy, and very soon returned with the old gentleman, who had become youthful again.

"Stop!" cried the devil to the servants, who were about to hang the blacksmith. "Don't hang him! Here is your master for you!"

They at once untied the rope from around the blacksmith's neck, and set him free again to do what he pleased.

From that day forth the blacksmith never attempted or even thought of giving the devil on the door of the smithy a blow with his hammer, or otherwise ill-treating him, but he always greeted the painting with the greatest possible politeness, and lived on happily and prospered all his life; but his workman disappeared, and was seen no more by any one.

The husband and wife, whom the devil had turned into young people again, lived on double their time, and were as rich and happy as ever, and I believe they are still alive if not dead!