Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/44

28 "Oh, all right! open your knapsack, brother, and let us jump in! Hooray!!"

And the little demons, overwhelmed with joy, turned somersaults in the air and sprang into the knapsack one after another, thinking all the while that it was such an easy and simple way of doing business.

"Lie more together, or I shall not be able to fasten the buckles."

"Shut it up now," said one little devil, "it is rather a tight fit, but what matters if we can get you away, a little squeezing won't hurt us very much, and it certainly won't harm you; so close it up, sharp!"

"That's easier said than done; but one thing is certain, if I can't fasten it up, you won't get me out of the palace in a hurry."

"Oh, shut up your mouth, as well as your knapsack! If you wouldn't talk half so much, you would be more likely to finish your—"

But the little demon could not finish his sentence, as the soldier gave the knapsack a good shake just then, and succeeded in closing it. A little yell from the inmates inside followed, but the soldier, taking no notice, with a self-satisfied smile, threw the knapsack over his shoulders, and marched off to the king.

"Would your Majesty be so good as to order thirty iron hammers, each weighing half a ton."

The king whistled; nevertheless he gave the order, and very soon the hammers were ready. The soldier took the knapsack to a blacksmith's shop, put it on the anvil, and asked the blacksmith to beat it as hard