Page:The Czechoslovak Review, vol3, 1919.djvu/219

 the anvil in twain and was always breaking things. One day the count brought his horse to be shod at our place. The horse would not stand still and father called to me: Grab him; you have enough strength to keep him from moving.

“I grabbed the horse in the middle and I must have squeezed him too hard. The horse fell down and I could not put him on his legs any more. Father chased me from his house, and for a long time I just moved from place to place seeing the world. Finally I went to work for a farmer as hired man. The farmer was stingy and did not give me enough to eat.”

“I would not stay at such a place”, interjected the shoemaker, puffing hard at his pipe.

“Well, I did not keep company with him very long”, continued the blacksmith. “Once I got into the pantry and ate at one sitting all the bacon stored there. The farmer’s wife complained to her husband, and he was very angry, but did not dare to say anything. But the next day he ordered: “John, drive to the forest and bring home a tree, but be back by noon.”

“As you can see, it was quite an order; for one man cannot cut down the tree, chop off the branches, load it on the wagon and bring it home, all in one day. But I got ready, took along a loaf of bread and a chunk of hard cheese—enough to make the farmer’s wife faint—and drove off to the forest. There I stretched myself in the shade until the sun was high up. I went to work then, selected my fir tree, tore it up with roots like this pine—" and the blacksmith got up, turned around and seized a tree with his veined hands. His muscles tightened, the roots cracked, the branches shook, the moss, the roots, the earth with the herbage flew about as in an explosion, and the dry, resinous trunk bent under the terrible strength of the blacksmith’s arms; its branches rustled, parted the crowns of its neighbors and fell to the mossy ground among the the low underbrush. The trio around the fire were astounded, but the blacksmith calmly seated himself, pressed down the tobacco in his meerschaum and continued:

“I loaded the tree on the wagon and hauled it home. The wagon was twisted out of shape with the weight of it and the horses sweated hard; we pulled down a bit of the gate with the branches, as we came to the farmhouse, but the farmer had his tree, as he wanted it.

“From that time on he hated me and feared me. I saw that he was plotting something against me, and so I was on my guard. A few days later he said to me: “John, I wish you would clean our well; something rots there.”

“Very well. I climbed on the railing, we laid some beams across, lowered the ropes, and I let myself down. The well was already drained of water, but it was damp. Suddenly I heard a rushing sound—some wicked business, I thought instantly—: and just then a millstone dropped anon [sic] me. I had scarcely time to catch it on my shoulder. I took hold of it and flung it up again shouting: “Why do you let your chickens scratch near the well and throw down sand on me? Chase them away.” The stone I threw up struck the roof, broke through the attic and lodged in the ceiling of the living room. That was enough for the farmer. From that time on he left me strictly alone.

“But the count heard about me. He was a tyrannical man, very severe to his serfs. He sent for me and said: “I hear that you are not afraid of anything. I will find out whether that is so. There is a mill here which is said to be haunted; nobody will work in it or stay there over night. You will get some wheat, drive to the mill and grind it there.”

“I was rather curious to meet the devil and see what he looked like. So I got ready, loaded the wheat and reached the haunted mill in the evening. The wheels were turning, but not a human being was in sight anywhere. I took the sacks, carried them into the milling-room, poured the wheat out on the stones and waited.

“After a while the mill came to a full stop. I took the lantern and went to see what was wrong. There among the whitewashed beams I saw someone with shining yes, busy at some mischief. I called out: “What business have you to stop the mill?”

“He merely looked at me in a frightful manner and sunddenly sprang toward me. We caught each other; I squeezed his claws till he screamed and then pressed him against the mill-stone, till his hind quarters were grazed. The fellow wept and shouted and made all sorts of promises to me; but not till he foreswore himself never to do me any mischief and to pay me well, did I loosen my grip on him. He could hardly limp away. Then two other devils came in dragging a heavy chest and said: “We intended no evil, sir, we were only testing you. Here, take this for your bravery, but we beg you earnestly leave us alone.”

“So I let them go. The rest of the night passed quietly; the mill went merrily on, the moon shone. In the morning I loaded the flour and the chest which was filled with silver, and thus returned home.

“The lord was greatly amazed, when he heard the story. He said: “So you do not fear the devils? So many have gone to the mill, and you alone returned. I must go with you myself tomorrow. Have the horses ready in the morning. We will go together to take a look at that place of devils.”

“I thought to myself that there was no sense in going to such an evil place twice. But a lord is a lord. I left my silver at the farmer’s, tied up my bundle and the next day we rode off. The road was far from good; it led over mountains and through ravines and wild plains all the way till evening came. During the day the sky became overcast and heavy drops fell. Then came thun-