f this wood, for there is no human soul to be seen far or
near!" Presently a stranger with a long grey beard and a leather pouch
at his girdle, like a Tartar,[109] made his appearance. He gave the
youth a friendly greeting, adding, "I know this neighbourhood well, and
can direct you anywhere you please, if you will promise me a good
return."

"What can a poor lad like me promise you?" answered the artful prince.
"I have nothing more than my young life, for even the coat on my body
belongs to the master whom I must serve in exchange for food and
clothing."

The stranger looked at the bag of peas on the lad's shoulder, and
remarked, "You can't be quite destitute, for you carry a bag which seems
to be very heavy."

"There are peas in the bag," said the prince. "My old aunt died last
night, and has left me so much as this, that I may be able to set
boiled peas before the watchers of the dead[110] as is the custom in
this country. I have begged the peas from my host in the name of God,
and was going away with them, when I struck into a forest path as a
short cut, and it has led me astray, as you see."

"Then I conclude, from what you say, that you are an orphan," observed
the stranger with a grin. "If you will enter my service, I happen just
to be in want of a handy workman for my small household, and I've taken
a fancy to you."

"Why shouldn't I, if we can come to terms?" replied the prince. "I was
born to servitude, and a stranger's bread is always bitter, so that it
matters little to me what master I serve. But what will you promise me
for a year's service?"

"Well," said the stranger, "you shall have fresh food every day, meat
twice a week, and when you work out of doors, butter or herrings as a
treat, a full suit of summer and winter clothing, besides two acres of
land for your own use."

"That will suit me," said the crafty prince. "Let other people bury my
aunt; I'll go with you."

The Old Boy seemed well pleased at having made such a good stroke of
business, and spun round on one foot like a teetotum, hallooing so loud
that the wood re-echoed. Then he started off on the road with his new
servant, and enlivened the tedium of the way by a variety of jokes,
without observing that his companion dropped a pea from his bag at every
ten or fifteen paces. The travellers halted for the night in the forest
under a large fir-tree, and continued their journey next morning. The
sun was already high in the heavens when