d, till at last he
offered a round hundred crowns that he had in his purse, and had just
gained by cheating some poor fellow. When the countryman saw so much
money, he said--

"I agree to the bargain," and, taking the purse and putting up his
fiddle, he travelled on well pleased.

Meanwhile the Jew crept out of the bush, half naked, and in a piteous
plight, and began to ponder how he should take his revenge and serve
his late companion some trick. At length he went to a judge, and said
that a rascal had robbed him of his money, and beaten him soundly into
the bargain, and that this fellow carried a bow at his back, and had a
fiddle hanging round his neck. The judge sent out his bailiffs to
bring up the man whenever they should find him. The countryman was
soon caught, and brought up to be tried.

The Jew began his tale, and said he had been robbed of his money.

"Robbed, indeed!" said the countryman; "why, you gave it me for
playing you a tune, and teaching you to dance."

The judge said that was not likely; that the Jew, he was sure, knew
better what to do with his money; and he cut the matter short by
sending the countryman off to the gallows.

Away he was taken, but as he stood at the foot of the ladder, he
said--

"My Lord Judge, may it please your worship to grant me but one boon?"

"Anything but thy life," replied the other.

"No," said he; "I do not ask my life. Only let me play upon my fiddle
for the last time."

The Jew cried out--

"Oh, no! no! no! for heaven's sake don't listen to him! don't listen
to him!"

But the judge said--

"It is only for this once, poor fellow! He will soon have done."

The fact was he could not say no, because the dwarf's third gift
enabled the countryman to make every one grant whatever he asked.

Then the Jew said--

"Bind me fast, bind me fast, for pity's sake!"

The countryman seized his fiddle and struck up a merry tune, and at
the first note judge, clerks, and jailer were set agoing. All began
capering, and no one could hold the Jew. At the second note the
hangman let his prisoner go and danced also, and by the time the first
bar of the tune was played all were dancing together--judge, court,
Jew, and all the people who had followed to look on. At first the
thing went merrily and joyously enough, but when it had gone on a
while, and there seemed to be no end of either playing or dancing, all
began to cry out and beg the countryman to leave off. He stopped