him,
and said crossly, "Well, stupid, where are the golden acorns?"

The fool looked at them and laughed in their faces. Then he said to
his wand:

"O self-propelling, ever willing, fighting Wand
Strike with thy usual fire
My ever-scolding, teasing, worrying brother band,
For they have roused my ire."

The wand needed no second bidding, and darting out of his hand began
to thrash the brothers soundly, crying out like a reasoning creature:

"Your brother has often your blows felt, alack!
Now taste it yourselves; hope you like it, whack, whack."

The brothers were overpowered, and felt all the while as if boiling
water were being poured over their heads. Yelling with pain they began
to run at full speed, and soon disappeared with clouds of dust flying
round them.

The wand then came back to the fool's hand. He went into the house,
climbed on the stove, and told his mother all that had happened. Then
he cried:

"O Tablecloth, who for the poor,
The hungry, and thirsty, makes cheer,
Let us within our cottage door
Feed off you without stint or fear."

A whistling was heard in the air, something bright shone overhead, and
then a table, laid as for a royal banquet, was placed before them,
covered with dainty meats, glasses, and bottles of mead and wine. The
whole service was of gold and silver. As the fool and his mother were
about to begin the feast the herdsman entered. He stopped, dumb with
amazement, but when invited to partake, began to eat and drink with
great enjoyment.

At the end of the meal the whistling was again heard, and everything
vanished completely.

The herdsman set off in hot haste to the court, to tell the king of
this new marvel. Thereupon his majesty sent one of his heroes in
search of the fool, whom he found stretched on the stove.

"If you value your life, listen, and obey the king's orders," said the
paladin. "He commands you to send him by me your tablecloth, then you
shall have your share of his royal favour. But if not you will always
remain a poor fool, and will, moreover, be treated as a refractory
prisoner. We teach them how to behave; you understand?"

"Oh yes, I understand." And then he pronounced the magic words:

"O self-propelling, ever willing, fighting Wand,
Go, soundly thrash that man--
The most deceiving, dangerous wretch in all the land,
So hurt him all you can."

The wand sprang from the fool's hand with the speed of