fir tree in exactly the same condition as his brother he, too, would
have some wonderful good fortune. So when night came he seated himself
under the tree, gouged out his eyes with a knife, and then waited to see
what would happen. At midnight he heard the Vilas at the spring but
their voices were not sweet but shrill and angry.

"Sisters," they cried to each other, "have you heard? The princess is
healed of leprosy and it was with the water of this, our spring! Who has
spied on us?"

"While we were talking last night," said one, "some man may have been
hiding under the fir tree."

"Let us see if there is any one there to-night!" cried another.

With that they all rushed to the fir tree and took the man they found
sitting there and in a fury tore him to pieces as though he were a bit
of old cloth. So that was the end of the wicked older brother. And you
will notice that in his hour of need his friend, the Devil, was not on
hand to help him.

So after all it was the younger brother who finally inherited all his
father's wealth. In addition he married the princess and was made heir
to the kingdom. So you see Good is stronger than Evil in this world.

[Illustration]

LORD AND MASTER

[Illustration]

_The Story of the Man Who Understood the Language of the Animals_

LORD AND MASTER

There was once a young shepherd, an honest industrious fellow, who
passed most of his time in the hills looking after his master's flocks.
One afternoon he happened upon a bush which some gipsies had set a-fire.
As he stopped to watch it he heard a strange hissing, whistling sound.
He went as close as he could and in the center of the bush which the
flames had not yet reached he saw a snake. It was writhing and trembling
in fear.

"Help me, brother!" the snake said. "Help me and I will reward you
richly! I swear I will!"

The shepherd put the end of his crook over the flames and the snake
crawled up the crook, up the shepherd's arm, and wound itself about his
neck.

It was now the shepherd's turn to be frightened.

"What! Will you kill me as a reward for my kindness?"

"Nay," the snake said. "Do not be afraid. I will not injure you. Do as I
tell you and you will have nothing to regret. My father is the Tsar of
the Snakes. Take me to him and he will reward you for rescuing me."

"But I can't leave my flocks," the shepherd said.

"Have no fear about your flocks. Nothing will happen to them in your
absence."