mer on the other hand soon grew rich for he had no children to
eat into his savings.

Years went by and money and possessions began to change the farmer's
disposition. The more he accumulated, the more he wanted, until
people were whispering behind his back that he was miserly and
avaricious. His wife was like him. She, too, saved and skimped
although, as I have told you, they had neither chick nor child to
provide for.

The richer the farmer grew, the less he cared for his poor friend
and his poor friend's children. Now when they called him
"Godfather," he frowned impatiently, and whenever he saw any of
them he pretended to be very busy for fear they should ask him a
favor.

One day when he had slaughtered beef, the poor shoemaker came to him and
said:

"My dear Godfather, you have just made a killing. Won't you please give
me a little piece of meat? My wife and children are hungry."

"No!" roared the rich man. "Why should I feed your family? You ought to
save as I do and then you wouldn't have to ask favors of any one."

Humiliated by the refusal, the shoemaker went home and told his wife
what his friend had said.

"Go back to him," his wife insisted, "and tell him again that his
godchildren are hungry. I don't think he understood you."

So the poor little shoemaker returned to the rich man. He cleared his
throat apologetically and stammered:

"Dear Godfather, you--you don't want your poor godchildren to go hungry,
do you? Give me just one small piece of meat--that's all I ask."

In a rage, the rich man picked up a hunk of meat and threw it at his
poor friend.

"There!" he shouted. "And now go to hell, you and the meat with you, and
tell the Devil I sent you."

The shoemaker picked up the piece of meat. It was all fat and gristle.

"No use carrying this home," he thought to himself. "I think I better do
as Godfather says. Yes, I'll go to hell and give it to the Devil."

So he tramped down to hell and presented himself at the gate. The little
devil who stood on guard greeted him merrily.

"Hello, shoemaker! What do you want here?"

"I have a present for the Devil, a piece of meat that Godfather gave
me."

The little devil of a guard nodded his head understandingly.

"I see, I see. Very well then, come with me and I'll lead you to Prince
Lucifer. But I'll give you a bit of advice first. When the Prince asks
you what present you'd like in return, tell him you'd like the
tablecloth off his own tabl