Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 3 1885.djvu/273

Rh "Master," said John, "the danger is that we find the end of our days, for it is terribly stormy and wet." They came across a cabin by the side of the road. There were two cocks of hay in the garden near it. "Master," said John, "let us enter and let each of us make a hole in the cocks, and we will go inside till daylight, and the horses will eat their fill of grass, and we shall start in a twinkling in the morning." They did that to pass the night John happened to have a lump of bread with him, and he eat it. The master heard him chewing, and said, "John, art thou eating anything?" "I am eating a wisp of hay," said John, "willst thou not eat a wisp?" The master put a mouthful in and began to chew it. He was coughing over it. "John," said he, "I can't eat it." "Thou wouldst eat it well enough," said John, "if thou wert hungry as I am."

So they remained till morning. They mounted their horses, and started at full gallop, and believe me the master's stomach was empty enough about dinner-time, for he was fasting since yesterday morning.

When they were approaching the house of the young woman, the servants saw them coming. They were expecting their arrival. The lad put the horses into the stable. They went in and sat down in the kitchen. The cook was kneading flour and preparing dinner. She went out on business. John said to the master, "Thou art hungry, eat a bit of that flour on the table while she is out." The master put his hands into the flour just at the moment the cook was coming. "For shame! put thy hands in thy pockets." He left them there. Before long dinner was ready. The company came to dinner. The master did not take his hands out of his pockets on any account, and did not eat. They changed the table after dinner, and the master was sulky. They had a great discussion about the match till it was sleeping time, and the people of the house went to rest, and John and the master likewise went to sleep in the same room with the married couple of the house. John whispered to the master and inquired about him. He replied, "I am dead from want of food and drink, for I have not eaten for two days, and I shall not be able to go home afterwards." "Rise up, master, and go down to the fire and drink plenty of broth, which is in the pot at the edge of the fire. And, after a plentiful drink, bring me a full bowl, for I have not eaten my full, as