ew dozen sacks to hold a ton, for
which I will pay well, and hire horses, so that I can fetch away my
treasure." Then the host perceived that the stranger's expedition had
not been fruitless, and he immediately fulfilled the rich man's orders.

When the barn-keeper learned from the people what part of the old man's
domains was formerly under the authority of the lord of the castle, he
assigned one-third of the money destined for the poor to this district,
handed over the remaining two-thirds to the local authorities for
distribution, and settled himself with his own money in a distant
country, where nobody knew him. His descendants live there as rich
people to this day, and extol the bravery of their ancestor, who
carried off the treasure.

[Footnote 60: _Porgulise_ is the actual word used here.]

[Footnote 61: This term, _kuri vaim_, is explicitly used here, not _Vana
pois_, as we find in the earlier part of the story; and seems to
indicate a different and much more malevolent being than the simpleton
who visited the barn-keeper, though the term _Vana pois_ sometimes
occurs in stories like "The Wooden Man and Birch-bark Maid," in which
souls are actually sold to the Devil.]

THE GALLOWS-DWARFS.

(KREUTZWALD.)

Once upon a time a parson was looking out for a servant who would
undertake to toll the church bell at midnight in addition to his other
duties. Many men had already made the attempt, but whenever they went to
toll the bell at night, they disappeared as suddenly as if they had sunk
into the ground, for the bell was not heard to toll, and the bell-ringer
never came back. The parson kept the matter as quiet as possible, but
the sudden disappearance of so many men could not be concealed, and he
could no longer find anybody willing to enter his service.

The more the matter was talked about, the more seriously it was
discussed, and there were even malicious tongues to whisper that the
parson himself murdered his servants. Every Sunday the parson proclaimed
from the pulpit after the sermon, "I am in want of a good servant, and
offer double wages, good keep," &c.; but for many months no one applied
for the post. However, one day the crafty Hans[62] offered his services.
He had been last in the employment of a stingy master, and the offer of
good keep was therefore very attractive to him, and he was quite ready
to enter on his duties at once. "Very well, my son," said the parson,
"if you are armed with cou