you
have nothing with you, and if you were to walk two hours in any
direction, you would meet with no one to give you anything."

"For all that," answered he, "there shall be a feast so good, that you
have never tasted the like."

Then he took out the table-cloth from his knapsack, and spreading it on
the ground, said,

"Cloth, be covered," and immediately there appeared boiled and roast
meat, quite hot, as if it had just come from the kitchen. The
charcoal-burner stared, but did not stay to be asked twice, and fell to,
filling his black mouth with ever bigger and bigger pieces. When they
had finished eating, the charcoal-burner smiled, and said,

"Look here, I approve of your table-cloth; it would not be a bad thing
for me to have here in the wood, where the cooking is not first-rate. I
will strike a bargain with you. There hangs a soldier's knapsack in the
corner, which looks old and unsightly, but it has wonderful qualities;
as I have no further occasion for it, I will give it to you in exchange
for the table-cloth."

"First, I must know what these wonderful qualities are," returned the
other.

"I will tell you," answered the charcoal-burner; "if you strike it with
your hand, there will appear a corporal and six men with swords and
muskets, and whatever you wish to have done, that will they do."

"Well, for my part," said the other, "I am quite willing to make the
exchange." And he gave the table-cloth to the charcoal-burner, took down
the knapsack from its hook, slung it over his shoulder, and took his
leave. Before he had gone far he began to want to make a trial of his
wonderful knapsack, so he struck it a blow. At once seven soldiers
appeared before him, and the corporal said,

"What does my lord and master please to want?"

"March in haste to the charcoal-burner and demand my wishing-cloth
back," said the man. They wheeled round to the left, and were not long
before they had accomplished his desire, and taken away, without wasting
many words, the wishing-cloth from the charcoal-burner. Having dismissed
them, he wandered on, expecting still more wonderful luck. About sunset
he fell in with another charcoal-burner, who was getting his supper
ready at the fire.

"Will you join me?" said this black fellow; "potatoes and salt, without
butter; sit down to it with me."

"No," answered he, "this time you shall be my guest." And he spread out
his table-cloth, and it was directly covered with the most delic