* * *

'Ah, I understand now,' muttered the good man, as he took the road
home; 'but I think I have got you two rascals!' and he hurried on to
the tavern with his basket under his arm, and the cock and the switch
both inside.

'Good evening, friends!' he said, as he entered the inn. 'I am very
hungry, and should be glad if you would roast this cock for me as soon
as possible. _This_ cock and no other--mind what I say,' he went on.
'Oh, and another thing! You can light the fire with this basket. When
you have done that I will show you something I have in my bag,' and,
as he spoke, he tried to imitate the smile that the Holy Man had given
_him_.

These directions made the innkeeper's wife very uneasy. However, she
said nothing, and began to roast the cock, while her husband did his
best to make the man sleepy with wine, but all in vain.

After dinner, which he did not eat without grumbling, for the cock was
very tough, the man struck his hand on the table, and said: 'Now
listen to me. Go and fetch my cock and my basket, at once. Do you
hear?'

'Your cock, and your basket, Father Grumbler? But you have just----'

'_My_ cock and _my_ basket!' interrupted he. 'And, if you are too deaf
and too stupid to understand what that means, I have got something
which may help to teach you.' And opening the bag, he cried: 'Flack!
flick! switch, be quick.'

And flack! flick! like lightning a white switch sprang out of the bag,
and gave such hearty blows to the innkeeper and his wife, and to
Father Grumbler into the bargain, that they all jumped as high as
feathers when a mattress is shaken.

'Stop! stop! make it stop, and you shall have back your cock and
basket,' cried the man and his wife. And Father Grumbler, who had no
wish to go on, called out between his hops: 'Stop then, can't you?
That is enough for to-day!'

But the switch paid no attention, and dealt out its blows as before,
and _might_ have been dealing them to this day, if the Holy Man had
not heard their cries and come to the rescue. 'Into the bag, quick!'
said he, and the switch obeyed.

'Now go and fetch me the cock and the basket,' and the woman went
without a word, and placed them on the table.

'You have all got what you deserved,' continued the Holy Man, 'and I
have no pity for any of you. I shall take my treasures home, and
perhaps some day I may find a man who knows how to make the best of
the chances that are given him. But that wil