dragging out the
governor. He, poor man, was half dead with fright.

The shepherd elbowed his way through the crowd, took the governor by
the hand, and pushed the devil roughly aside.

"What do you mean by this?" he shouted. "Get out of here or there'll
be trouble!"

Instantly the devil fled and the governor fell on his knees before the
shepherd and kissed his hands and begged him to state what he wanted
in reward. When the shepherd asked for two bags of gold, the governor
ordered that they be given him without delay.

Then the shepherd went to the castle of the second governor and went
through exactly the same performance.

It goes without saying that the duke soon heard of the shepherd, for
he had been anxiously awaiting the fate of the two governors. At once
he sent a wagon with four horses to fetch the shepherd to the palace
and when the shepherd arrived he begged him piteously to rescue him
likewise from the devil's clutches.

"Master," the shepherd answered, "I cannot promise you anything. I
have to consider my own safety. You have been a great sinner, but if
you really want to reform, if you really want to rule your people
justly and kindly and wisely as becomes a true ruler, then indeed I
will help you even if I have to suffer hellfire in your place."

The duke declared that with God's help he would mend his ways and the
shepherd promised to come back on the fatal day.

With grief and dread the whole country awaited the coming of the full
moon. In the first place the people had greeted the astrologer's
prophecy with joy, but since the duke had reformed their feelings for
him had changed.

Time sped fast as time does whether joy be coming or sorrow and all
too soon the fatal day arrived.

Dressed in black and pale with fright, the duke sat expecting the
arrival of the devil.

Suddenly the door flew open and the devil, black as night, stood
before him. He paused a moment and then he said, politely:

"Your time has come, Lord Duke, and I am here to get you!"

Without a word the duke arose and followed the devil to the
courtyard, which was filled with a great multitude of people.

At that moment the shepherd, all out of breath, came pushing his way
through the crowd, and ran straight at the devil, shouting out:

"What do you mean by this? Get out of here or there'll be trouble!"

"What do _you_ mean?" whispered the devil. "Don't you remember what I
told you?"

"Hush!" the shepherd whispered ba