From that day the soldier was an altered man. He reformed his ways, went to church regularly, and fasted three times a week, though he would not eat fish even on fasting days, for after the fright he got, fish would never rest on his stomach. At length he left the army and turned hermit, and every day he prayed for the soul of the white trout.
THE FORTY-NINE DRAGONS
ONCE upon a time there were two brothers, the older of whom was rich and had four children, while the younger was poor and had seven children. At last the family of the poor brother was in such want that the mother went to the rich man and said: “I am very wretched, for I am unable to provide my children with enough to eat. I take a little meal and mix it with a great deal of bran, and so manage to make bread. It is well nigh a year since my children have had any meat. They get nothing but the meal and bran bread.”
“And yet,” said he, “your children are strong, while mine, in spite of plentiful and rich food, and other comforts, are always ailing.”
“Yes,” said the woman, “though our lot is one of poverty and hunger, yet, thanks be to Heaven, our children are hale and hearty. But I fear for the future, and I have come to implore you, if you need to hire any work done, that you do not send for any one but me; and may God bless you and give health to your children.”
As she spoke these words the tears ran from her eyes, and the man called his wife and said to her: “Here is our sister-in-law wanting work. Have we something for her to do so she may not sit idle?”
“Yes,” answered his wife, “let her come twice a week and knead bread for us.”
When the poor woman heard these words she was glad, for she thought that when she kneaded the fine white bread they would give her some of it, and her children would eat and rejoice. She rose to go away, and they said to her, “Good-by, and remember to come tomorrow morning.”
They let her depart without relieving her want by giving her a scrap of anything. As she set off toward home she said to herself: “Would that I were rich and could go to my cupboard and bring out a bit of cheese, or a piece of bread, or a little rice, or other household store to gladden the hearts of the poor!”