Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/39

Rh the two packs of cards; and then filled his pockets with the iron bullets and nuts. After that he went to the open door and waited. Presently, just at midnight, a number of unclean spirits approached the palace, but were greatly disgusted to find that they could not get in. At last, one of them, on seeing the open door, changed itself into a man, and was about to walk in.

"Who goes there?" called out the soldier.

"Let me in, brother, I am only one of the court footmen."

"Then where have you been loitering about at this time of night, you rascal?"

"Wherever I may have been, I am not there now; that is certain. Give us a drink, old boy."

"Give you a drink, indeed! What do you take me for?"

"Well, at any rate, you might have the politeness to give me some of your nuts. I see you have plenty in your pockets."

"Here you are, you impudent rascal;" said the soldier, giving him an iron bullet.

The demon took it, and it is needless to say that he found great difficulty in cracking it; meanwhile the soldier cracked five and twenty nuts, and ate them.

"How awfully hard your nuts are, soldier," said the demon; "and what tremendously strong teeth you must have to be able to crack them!"

"What a poor sort of chap you must be, to be sure. Why I have lived fifty-five years with the king, and am an old man now; in fact, I was no chicken when I came; and have hardly a tooth in my head; and