THE FRUIT OF HAPPINESS

angel hither, and with him he brought the ring of discord
that breeds spite and rage and quarrelling. He gave it
to the captain of the band, and after he had gone the
robbers fought for it with one another until they were all
killed. So now the world is rid of them, and travellers
can come and go as they please.”

Back jogged the travelling servant, and the next day
came to the town and to the house of the sorrowful young
man. There, lo and behold! instead of being dark and
silent, as it was before, all was ablaze with light and
noisy with the sound of rejoicing and merriment. There
happened to be one of the household standing at the door,
and he knew the servant as the companion of that one
who had stolen the ruby ring. Up he came and laid hold
of the servant by the collar, calling to his companions that
he had caught one of the thieves. Into the house they
hauled the poor servant, and into the same room where
he had been before, and there sat the young man ata
grand feast, with his wife and all his friends around him.
But when the young man saw the poor serving-man he
came to him and took him by the hand, and set him beside
himself at the table. “Nobody except your comrade
could be so welcome as you,” said he, “and this is why.
An enemy of mine one time gave me a ruby ring, and,
though I knew nothing of it, it was the ring of discord
that bred strife wherever it came. So, as soon as it was
brought into the house, my wife and all my friends fell
out with me, and we quarrelled so that they all left me,
But, though I knew it not at that time, your comrade was
an angel, and took the ring away with him, and now I am
as happy as I was sorrowful before.”

By the next night the servant had come back to his

215