Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 3 1885.djvu/302

294 why he had stayed so late. He told them what had happened about the black man, and the girl said that she would consent to marry the black so that her father might come to no harm. He then emptied out all the ounces which he had brought. "What is that?" said they; "what medals so pretty are these?" "It would be well that thou shouldst go and sell them, father," said the maiden. The little old man went to the city, taking his gold with him, expecting to sell it; but they told him there that they were ounces, and that he could buy many things with them. So he bought food and clothes for his family and went back home very well contented.

When the term of eight days had come to an end, the old man took his hatchet and his donkey, and went to the forest. He hit the trunk of the tree some blows with his axe, and the same black man made his appearance. "What answer does thou bring me?" he said. "My daughter consents to marry thee," said he, "with great good-will." "Very well," said the black; "but I exact one condition, which is, that the wedding is to be celebrated in the dark, and that she must never try to see me until I give her leave, or, in the contrary case, she will be a lorn woman." The old man told him that it was very well, that it should be so. "Load thy donkey with all the gold thou pleasest," said the black man, "and buy all thou deemst needful for the wedding, which will be in eight days from to-day." The old man loaded his ass with ounces once more, and went back home. His daughter went out to meet him, and he told her all that the black man had said to him, and she consented to all that her bridegroom wished.

When the term had come to an end for them to be wedded, they had groom's men and bridesmaids ready at night; some one was heard to arrive at the house, and the wedding came off in the dark. The damsel lived very happy, although her bridegroom left her all alone every morning. He came every night, she met him in the dark, and every morning he was away again.

One day an old woman, a neighbour, came to visit her, and asked her how she got on and if she was happy in her wedded life. She told her that she was very happy and very well satisfied. Afterwards she asked her what sort of a man her husband was: if he was young