oon is exactly in my way? But of course, if you
like, I will throw the club into the moon.'

At these words the dragon grew uncomfortable for the second time.

He prized the club, which had been left him by his grandfather, very
highly, and had no desire that it should be lost in the moon.

'I'll tell you what,' he said, after thinking a little. 'Don't throw
the club at all. I will throw it a second time, and that will do just as
well.'

'No, certainly not!' replied Stan. 'Just wait till the moon sets.'

But the dragon, in dread lest Stan should fulfil his threats, tried
what bribes could do, and in the end had to promise Stan seven sacks of
ducats before he was suffered to throw back the club himself.

'Oh, dear me, that is indeed a strong man,' said the dragon, turning to
his mother. 'Would you believe that I have had the greatest difficulty
in preventing him from throwing the club into the moon?'

Then the old woman grew uncomfortable too! Only to think of it! It was
no joke to throw things into the moon! So no more was heard of the club,
and the next day they had all something else to think about.

'Go and fetch me water!' said the mother, when the morning broke, and
gave them twelve buffalo skins with the order to keep filling them till
night.

They set out at once for the brook, and in the twinkling of an eye the
dragon had filled the whole twelve, carried them into the house, and
brought them back to Stan. Stan was tired: he could scarcely lift the
buckets when they were empty, and he shuddered to think of what would
happen when they were full. But he only took an old knife out of his
pocket and began to scratch up the earth near the brook.

'What are you doing there? How are you going to carry the water into the
house?' asked the dragon.

'How? Dear me, that is easy enough! I shall just take the brook!'

At these words the dragon's jaw dropped. This was the last thing that
had ever entered his head, for the brook had been as it was since the
days of his grandfather.

'I'll tell you what!' he said. 'Let me carry your skins for you.'

'Most certainly not,' answered Stan, going on with his digging, and the
dragon, in dread lest he should fulfil his threat, tried what bribes
would do, and in the end had again to promise seven sacks of ducats
before Stan would agree to leave the brook alone and let him carry the
water into the house.

On the third day the old mother sent Stan into the forest for wood