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THE TAILORS THREE SONS. 163
" In what way can I make him of use, if I can neither ride nor drive him ?" asked the youth.
" Why," said his master, " he can supply you with gold. You have only to lay a cloth on the ground, and lead the donkey on it and say c Bricklebrit/ and immediately pieces of gold will drop from his mouth."
" That is a wonderful power, indeed," said the young man; and quickly expressed his readiness to accept such a present, and, thanking his master with his whole heart, he bade him farewell and started on his travels.
He soon discovered the value of his donkey, for if he wanted money, he could lead him on the cloth, say " Bricklebrit," and a shower of gold would cover the ground, which he had only the trouble of picking up. So wherever he went he had the best of everything that money could buy, for his purse was always lull.
After he had been for some time travelling in different countries, he began to think of home. " For," he said to himself, " if I can return with plenty of money, my father will forget his anger, and receive me kindly."
So he turned his steps towards his native village, and after a long journey, came at last to the same inn at which his brother's table had been changed. He led his donkey by the bridle, and the landlord wished to take the animal to the stable; but the young man said, " Don't trouble yourself, landlord. I always tie up old Grizzle myself, for I like to know where he is."
The landlord wondered at first, and then he thought that a guest who tied up his donkey himself had not much to spend ; but when the stranger put his hand in his pocket and pulling out two gold pieces, said he should like a good supper prepared for him, the landlord opened his eyes wide and ran to order the best he had in the house.
After dinner the young miller asked for his bill, and the avaricious host had charged such tremendously high prices, that it amounted to an immense sum. The young maii, after searching in his pockets, found he had not enough to pay. " Wait a moment, landlord," he said, " I will soon fetch some more f and he rose up hastily, carrying the table-cloth with him.
The landlord, who could not in the least understand these movements, was, however, very curious. So he slipped out and followed |
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