Now the foul fiend stood by his miserable bed tempting him.
In exchange for his soul, he promised to conduct the water of the spring to the upper town, and produced a roll of parchment containing a plan of the work.
At length the unhappy man consented to the proposals.
Again he dreamed of his childhood, of his dead mother, of the fields and woods where he gathered the first daisies and violets of spring; and now again he listened to the raging storm.
At break of day the monk opened the fatal roll. Judge of his astonishment and joy, as he saw the way marked out over hills and through ravines, by which the spring could be conducted with little difficulty to the place required.
He immediately made his proposals to the council.
His freedom was promised him if the work succeeded, and a body of labourers was given him for the carrying out of his plan.
And soon the crystal stream gladdened the thirsting upper town with an abundance of water.
But the monk, so soon as he had fulfilled his contract, disappeared, and even gratitude could find no trace of him. He was never seen again.