126 SLAV TALES

white cloth, and upon it a china soup-tureen in which lay the
two bream freshly cooked.

“Where did you get those fish from, dear mother?”

“T do not know myself,” replied she, “‘for I have neither
cleaned them nor cooked them. Our table spread itself, the
fish placed themselves upon it, and although they have been
there an hour they do not get cold; any one might think they
had just been taken off the fire. Come, let us eat them.”

The widow and her son sat down, said grace, and after
eating as much as they wanted went to bed.

Next morning, at breakfast time, the fisherman made the
sign of the cross, and then put on the gold ring, at the same
time repeating the words the fish had taught him :

“T conjure thee, O ring, who gold can give,
In the name of the little fishling of gold,
For the good of man, that man may live,
And the honour of heaven, send, new or old,
Little or much, as may be my need,

Coins of the realm, let them fall like seed.”

When he had ceased speaking the room was filled with a
blast of wind followed by flashes of lightning, then a hailstorm
of gold pieces showered down and quite covered the table.

The chink of the money aroused his mother, who sat up
in bed perfectly amazed.

“What is the meaning of this, my son? Am I awake or
dreaming ? or is it the work of the Evil One? Where did all
that money come from?”

“Fear not, mother, I wear a cross that charms away evil
spirits. I have my work, so that you shall never want, and I