ter Sunday the minister gave out from
his pulpit that double wages would be paid to anyone that would fulfil
the sacred duty of ringing the bells of the church. No one took the
slightest notice of any offer he might make, and the poor man was in
despair, when one day, as he was standing at his house door, a youth
known in the village as Clever Hans came up to him. 'I am tired of
living with a miser who will not give me enough to eat and drink,' said
he, 'and I am ready to do all you want.' 'Very good, my son,' replied
the minister, 'you shall have the chance of proving your courage this
very night. To-morrow we will settle what your wages are to be.'

Hans was quite content with this proposal, and went straight into the
kitchen to begin his work, not knowing that his new master was quite
as stingy as his old one. In the hope that his presence might be a
restraint upon them, the minister used to sit at the table during his
servants' meals, and would exhort them to drink much and often, thinking
that they would not be able to eat as well, and beef was dearer than
beer. But in Hans he had met his match, and the minister soon found to
his cost that in his case at any rate a full cup did not mean an empty
plate.

About an hour before midnight, Hans entered the church and locked
the door behind him, but what was his surprise when, in place of the
darkness and silence he expected, he found the church brilliantly
lighted, and a crowd of people sitting round a table playing cards. Hans
felt no fear at this strange sight, or was prudent enough to hide it if
he did, and, going up to the table, sat down amongst the players. One of
them looked up and asked, 'My friend, what are you doing here?' and Hans
gazed at him for a moment, then laughed and answered, 'Well, if anybody
has a right to put that question, it is I! And if _I_ do not put it, it
will certainly be wiser for you not to do so!'

Then he picked up some cards, and played with the unknown men as if
he had known them all his life. The luck was on his side, and soon the
money of the other gamblers found its way from their pockets into his.
On the stroke of midnight the cock crew, and in an instant lights,
table, cards, and people all had vanished, and Hans was left alone.

He groped about for some time, till he found the staircase in the tower,
and then began to feel his way up the steps.

On the first landing a glimmer of light came through a slit in the wall,
and he s