“It was my brother put you there, but I came on purpose to let you out.”
“No, no! that’s a lie. You tricked me once; you shan’t trick me a second time!”
Woe gripped the rich merchant tight by the neck; the man had to carry it home, and there everything began to go wrong with him. From the very first day Woe began again to play its usual part, every day it called on the merchant to renew his drinking.[234] Many were the valuables which went in the pot-house.
“Impossible to go on living like this!” says the merchant to himself. “Surely I’ve made sport enough for Woe! It’s time to get rid of it—but how?”
He thought and thought, and hit on an idea. Going into the large yard, he cut two oaken wedges, took a new wheel, and drove a wedge firmly into one end of its axle-box. Then he went to where Woe was:
“Hallo, Woe! why are you always idly sprawling there?”
“Why, what is there left for me to do?”
“What is there to do! let’s go into the yard and play at hide-and-seek.”
Woe liked the idea. Out they went into the yard. First the merchant hid himself; Woe found him immediately. Then it was Woe’s turn to hide.
“Now then,” says Woe, “you won’t find me in a hurry! There isn’t a chink I can’t get into!”