o. He would have attracted custom,
so that I should not have to mend any more, but only make new shoes.
But so it goes in the world!"

"Where is your son, then?" asked Jacob, in a trembling voice.

"God only knows," replied the old man. "Seven years ago,--seven
years--he was stolen from us on the market-place."

"Seven years ago!" exclaimed Jacob in amazement.

"Yes, little master, seven years ago. I remember as though it were but
yesterday how my wife came home weeping, and crying that the child had
been gone the whole day, that she had inquired and searched everywhere,
but could not find him. I had often said that it would turn out so; for
Jacob was a beautiful child, as everybody said, and my wife was so
proud of him, and was pleased when the people praised him, and she
often sent him to carry vegetables and the like to the best houses.
That was all well enough; he was richly rewarded every time; but I
always said: 'Take care! the city is large, and many bad people live in
it. Mind what I say about little Jacob?' Well, it turned out as I had
predicted. An ugly old woman once came to the market, haggled over some
fruits and vegetables, and finally bought more than she could carry
home. My wife--compassionate soul--sent the child with her; and from
that hour we saw him no more!"

"And that was seven years ago you say?"

"It will be seven years in the Spring. We had him cried on the streets,
and went from house to house and inquired for him. Many had known and
loved the pretty youngster, and now searched with us; but all in vain.
Nor did any one know who the woman was that had bought the vegetables;
but a decrepit old woman, some ninety years of age, said that it was
very likely the wicked witch _Kraeuterweiss_, who comes once in every
fifty years to the city to make purchases."

Such was the story Jacob's father told him; and when the shoemaker had
finished, he pegged away stoutly at his shoe, drawing the thread out
with both fists as far as his arms could reach.

By and by Jacob comprehended what had happened to him, namely: that he
had not dreamed at all, but that he must have served the wicked witch
as a squirrel for seven years. Anger and grief so swelled his heart
that it almost broke. The old woman had stolen seven years of his
youth; and what had he received as compensation therefor? The ability
to make cocoanut slippers shine brightly; to clean a glass floor; and
all the mysteries of cooking that he ha