d the poor man,
making his bow and preparing to go home.

"Stop a bit! come and dine with me to-morrow, and bring
your wife, too: to-morrow is my name-day, you know."

"Ah, brother! how can I? you know very well you'll
be having merchants coming to you in boots and pelisses,
but I have to go about in bast shoes and a miserable old grey
caftan."

"No matter, come! there will be room even for you."

"Very well, brother! I'll come."

The poor man returned home, gave his wife the loaf, and
said:

"Listen, wife! we're invited to a party to-morrow."

"What do you mean by a party? who's invited us?"

"My brother! he keeps his name-day to-morrow."

"Well, well! let's go."

Next day they got up and went to the town, came to the rich
man's house, offered him their congratulations, and sat down on
a bench. A number of the name-day guests were already seated
at table. All of these the host feasted gloriously, but he forgot
even so much as to think of his poor brother and his wife; not
a thing did he offer them; they had to sit and merely look on
at the others eating and drinking.

The dinner came to an end; the guests rose from table,
and expressed their thanks to their host and hostess; and the
poor man did likewise, got up from his bench, and bowed down
to his girdle before his brother. The guests drove off homewards,
full of drink and merriment, shouting, singing songs. But
the poor man had to walk back empty.

"Suppose we sing a song, too," he says to his wife.

"What a fool you are!" says she, "people sing because
they've made a good meal and had lots to drink; but why ever
should you dream of singing?"

"Well, at all events, I've been at my brother's name-day
party. I'm ashamed of trudging along without singing. If I
sing, everybody will think I've been feasted like the rest."

"Sing away, then, if you like; but I won't!"

The peasant began a song. Presently he heard a voice
joining in it. So he stopped, and asked his wife:

"Is it you that's helping me to sing with that thin little
voice?"

"What are you thinking about! I never even dreamt of
such a thing."

"Who is it, then?"

"I don't know," said the woman. "But now, sing away,
and I'll listen."

He began his song again. There was only one person singing,
yet two voices could be heard. So he stopped, and asked:

"Woe, is that you that's helping m