what happened!

"That very same day the wicked farmer went to market with some
vegetables to sell. As he was sitting in the market, St. Nicholas
appeared, before him. He had on his mitre and his long robes, just as
you see him in Kit's cake.

"Have you any pork to sell?" St. Nicholas asked the man.

"No," said the farmer.

"What of the three young pigs in your brine tub in the cellar?" said
St. Nicholas.

The farmer saw that his wicked deed was found out, as all wicked deeds
are, sooner or later. He fell on his knees and begged the good Saint to
forgive him.

St. Nicholas said, "Show me the way to your house."

The farmer left his vegetables unsold in the market and went home at
once, the Saint following all the way.

When they reached the hut, St. Nicholas went to the pickled-pork tub in
the cellar. He waved his staff over the tub, and out jumped the three
boys, hearty and well! Then the good Saint took them through the woods
and left them in sight of their own home.

"Oh, what a good St. Nicholas!" said Kit and Kat. "Tell us another."

"Well," said Grandmother Winkle, "once upon another time there was a
very mean man, who had a great deal of money, that often happens. He
had, also, three beautiful daughters, that sometimes happens too."

"One day he lost all his money. Now, he cared more for money than for
anything else in the world more, even, than for his three beautiful
daughters. So he made up his mind to sell them!"

"St. Nicholas knew of this wicked plan; so that very night he went to
the man's house and dropped some money through a broken window."

"Why did he do that?" asked Kat.

Because the man was selling his daughters to get money. If he had money
enough, he wouldn't sell them.

The first night St. Nicholas dropped enough money to pay for the eldest
daughter. The next night he took a purse of gold for the second
daughter, and dropped it down the chimney. It fell down right in front
of the man, as he was getting a coal to light his pipe. The third night
the man watched; and when St. Nicholas came, the door flew open, and
the man ran out. He caught St. Nicholas by his long robe and held him.

"O St. Nicholas, Servant of the Lord," he said, "why dost thou hide thy
good deeds?"

And from that time on, every one has known it is St. Nicholas who
brings gifts in the night and drops them down the chimney.

"Did the man sell his daughter?" asked Kat.

"No," said Grandmother. "He was so asham