friend with
the grey beard, who asked the reason of his sadness. The old man gave
Slyboots another mussel-shell, and a handful of small stones, with the
following advice. "If you go there in the afternoon, you will find the
father in bed taking his siesta, the daughters spinning in the
sitting-room, and the grandmother in the kitchen scouring the gold and
silver vessels bright. Climb nimbly on the chimney, throw down the
stones tied up in a bag on the old woman's neck, come down yourself as
quick as possible, put the costly vessels in the yarn bag, and then run
off as fast as your legs will carry you."

Slyboots thanked his friend, and followed his advice exactly. But when
he dropped the bag of pebbles, it expanded into a six hundred weight
sack of paving stones, which dashed the old woman to the ground. In a
moment Slyboots swept all the gold and silver vessels into his bag and
took to flight. When the Old Boy heard the noise, he thought the chimney
had fallen down, and did not venture to get up directly. But when he
had called the grandmother for a long time without receiving any answer,
he was obliged to go himself. When he discovered the misfortune that had
happened, he hastened in pursuit of the thief, who could not be gone
far. Slyboots was already on the sea, when his pursuer reached the shore
panting and puffing. As before, the Old Boy cried out, "Nicodemus, my
son," and repeated the former questions. At last he asked, "Nicodemus,
my son, have you stolen my gold and silver utensils?" "Certainly, my
father," answered Slyboots. "Nicodemus, my son, do you promise to come
again?" "No, my father," answered Slyboots, hurrying along the bridge.
Although the old man cursed and scolded after the thief, he could not
catch him, and he had now been despoiled of all his magic treasures.

Slyboots found his friend with the grey beard waiting for him on the
other side of the sea, and he threw down the bag of heavy gold and
silverware, which the ring of strength had enabled him to bring away,
and sat down to rest his weary limbs.

The old man now told him much that shocked him. "Your brothers hate you,
and will do all they can to destroy you, if you do not oppose their
wicked attempts. They will urge the king on to set you tasks in which
you are very likely to perish. When you bring your rich load to the king
this evening, you will find him friendly disposed towards you; and then
ask, as your only reward, that his daughter sh