e
each want it for our own.'

'Let me put it round me for a moment,' said the youth, 'and then I
will tell you whose it ought to be!'

The brothers were pleased with this idea, and gave him the stuff; but
the moment he had thrown it over his shoulder he disappeared as
completely as if he had never been there at all.

Meanwhile the young man walked briskly along, till he came up with two
other men, who were disputing over a table-cloth.

'What is the matter?' asked he, stopping in front of them.

'If this cloth is spread on a table,' answered they, 'the table is
instantly covered with the most delicious food; and we each want to
have it.'

'Let me try the table-cloth,' said the youth, 'and I will tell you
whose it ought to be.'

The two men were quite pleased with this idea, and handed him the
cloth. He then hastily threw the first piece of stuff round his
shoulders and vanished from sight, leaving the two men grieving over
their own folly.

The young man had not walked far before he saw two more men standing
by the road-side, both grasping the same stout staff, and sometimes
one seemed on the point of getting it, and sometimes the other.

'What are you quarrelling about? You could cut a dozen sticks from the
wood each just as good as that!' said the young man. And as he spoke
the fighters both stopped and looked at him.

'Ah! you may think so,' said one, 'but a blow from one end of this
stick will kill a man, while a touch from the other end will bring him
back to life. You won't easily find another stick like that!'

'No; that is true,' answered the young man. 'Let me just look at it,
and I will tell you whose it ought to be.'

The men were pleased with the idea, and handed him the staff.

'It is very curious, certainly,' said he; 'but which end is it that
restores people to life? After all, anyone can be killed by a blow
from a stick if it is only hard enough!' But when he was shown the end
he threw the stuff over his shoulders and vanished.

At last he saw another set of men, who were struggling for the
possession of a pair of shoes.

'Why can't you leave that pair of old shoes alone?' said he. 'Why, you
could not walk a yard in them!'

'Yes, they are old enough,' answered they; 'but whoever puts them on
and wishes himself at a particular place, gets there without going.'

'That sounds very clever,' said the youth. 'Let me try them, and then
I shall be able to tell you whose they ought to be.'