as in his pocket, for the wind
in the tree-tops was so high that he might easily have been blown away
altogether.

After passing some hours of the night, not without considerable fear and
trembling, he noticed a light shining at a little distance, and hoping
it might proceed from some house where he could find a better shelter
than in the top of the tree, he cautiously descended and went towards
the light. It led him to a little hut all woven together of reeds and
rushes. He knocked bravely at the door, which opened, and by the light
which shone from within he saw an old gray-haired man dressed in a coat
made of bright-coloured patches. 'Who are you, and what do you want?'
asked the old man roughly.

'I am a poor tailor,' replied the youth. 'I have been benighted in
the forest, and I entreat you to let me take shelter in your hut till
morning.'

'Go your way,' said the old man in a sulky tone, 'I'll have nothing to
do with tramps. You must just go elsewhere.'

With these words he tried to slip back into his house, but the tailor
laid hold of his coat-tails, and begged so hard to be allowed to stay
that the old fellow, who was by no means as cross as he appeared, was at
length touched by his entreaties, let him come in, and after giving him
some food, showed him quite a nice bed in one corner of the room. The
weary tailor required no rocking to rest, but slept sound till early
morning, when he was roused from his slumbers by a tremendous noise.
Loud screams and shouts pierced the thin walls of the little hut. The
tailor, with new-born courage, sprang up, threw on his clothes with
all speed and hurried out. There he saw a huge black bull engaged in a
terrible fight with a fine large stag. They rushed at each other with
such fury that the ground seemed to tremble under them and the whole air
to be filled with their cries. For some time it appeared quite uncertain
which would be the victor, but at length the stag drove his antlers with
such force into his opponent's body that the bull fell to the ground
with a terrific roar, and a few more strokes finished him.

The tailor, who had been watching the fight with amazement, was still
standing motionless when the stag bounded up to him, and before he had
time to escape forked him up with its great antlers, and set off at full
gallop over hedges and ditches, hill and dale, through wood and water.
The tailor could do nothing but hold on tight with both hands to the
stag's h