to a town with high towers and steep roofs
and tall spires. The servant's companion entered the gate as though
he knew the place right well, and led the way up one street and down
another, until, by-and-by, they came to a noble house that stood a
little apart by itself, with gardens of flowers and fruit-trees all
around it. There the travelling companion stopped, and, drawing out a
little pipe from under his jacket, began playing so sweetly upon it that
he made one's heart stand still to listen to the music.

Well, he played and played until, by-and-by, the door opened, and out
came a serving-man. "Ho, piper!" said he, "would you like to earn good
wages for your playing?"

"Yes," said the travelling companion, "I would, for that is why I came
hither."

"Then follow me," said the servant, and thereupon the travelling
companion tucked away his pipe and entered, with the other at his heels.

The house-servant led the way from one room to another, each grander
than the one they left behind, until at last he came to a great hall
where dozens of servants were serving a fine feast. But only one man
sat at table--a young man with a face so sorrowful that it made a body's
heart ache to look upon him. "Can you play good music, piper?" said he.

"Yes," said the piper, "that I can, for I know a tune that can cure
sorrow. But before I blow my pipe I and my friend here must have
something to eat and drink, for one cannot play well with an empty
stomach."

"So be it," said the young man; "sit down with me and eat and drink."

So the two did without second bidding, and such food and drink the
serving-man had never tasted in his life before. And while they were
feasting together the young man told them his story, and why it was
he was so sad. A year before he had married a young lady, the most
beautiful in all that kingdom, and had friends and comrades and all
things that a man could desire in the world. But suddenly everything
went wrong; his wife and he fell out and quarrelled until there was
no living together, and she had to go back to her old home. Then his
companions deserted him, and now he lived all alone.

"Yours is a hard case," said the travelling companion, "but it is not
past curing." Thereupon he drew out his pipes and began to play, and
it was such a tune as no man ever listened to before. He played and he
played, and, after a while, one after another of those who listened to
him began to get drowsy. First they w