that ditch, and say that we killed the hog." So they took and slew
him, and buried him in the ditch, and took the hog to their father,
and said, "While we were watching, this hog came up and began digging,
so we killed him and have brought him to you."

One day a nobleman came by that way, and was surprised to see a
beautiful elder-bush growing out of the ditch; so he went up to it,
cut off a branch, made him a flute out of it, and began playing upon
it. But the flute played of its own accord, and made this moan:

"_Play, good master, play,
But steal not my heart away!
Me my brothers took and slew,
In the ditch my body threw,
For that hog shot down by me
That rooted up the tree._"

The nobleman then went on to the inn, and there he found the fool's
father. "Such a funny thing has happened to me," said the nobleman. "I
went and cut me out a flute from an elder-bush, and lo! it plays of
its own accord!" Then the father took the flute and tried his hand at
it, and it sang:

"_Play, good daddy, play,
But don't steal my heart away!
Me my brothers took and slew,
In the ditch my body threw,
For that hog shot down by me,
That rooted up the tree!_"

The father was so astonished that he bought it, and took it home, and
gave it to the mother for her to play upon it, and it sang:

"_Play, good mammy, play,
But don't steal my heart away!
Me my brothers took and slew,
In the ditch my body threw,
For that hog shot down by me,
That rooted up the tree!_"

Then the father gave the flute to his brothers to play upon, but they
wouldn't. "Nay, but you must!" said their father. Then the younger
brother took and played upon it:

"_Play, my brother, play,
But don't steal my heart away!
Me my brothers took and slew,
In the ditch my body threw,
For the hog shot down by me,
That rooted up the tree!_"

Then the father gave the flute to the elder brother who had slain him,
but he wouldn't take it. "Take it and play upon it!" roared his father
at him. Then he took it and played:

"_Play, my brother, play,
But don't steal my heart away!
'Twas thou who didst me slay,
And stowed my corpse away,
For the hog shot down by me,
That rooted up the tree!_"

"Then it was thou who didst slay him?" cried the father. What could
the elder brother do but confess it! Then they dug the dead man up,
and buried him in the cemetery; but they tied the elder brother to a
wild horse,