“Good morning, Mr. Noah.”
“Good morning, Mr. Devil,” replied Noah. “And what can I do for you?”
“Do not let me interrupt; you seem busy this morning.”
“Yes,” replied Noah; “I am planting the vine.”
“Oho!” said the Devil, “but this is rather interesting.”
So he slipped inside the field and took a seat on a large white stone. Noah went on with his work.
A lion was prowling round and came through the gate which the Devil had carelessly left open. The Devil killed the lion and watered the vine with its blood.
“I wish you wouldn’t do that,” said Noah testily.
The Devil paid no attention. A monkey dropped down from a tree and came skipping up to them to see what was going on. The Devil killed the monkey and watered the vine with its blood.
“Can’t you leave the poor beasts alone?” said Noah, who had always deprecated cruelty to animals, and was beginning to lose his temper.