IMPERISHABLE 237

The eldest took his turn first, but after having watched
all night fell asleep towards morning, when he awoke to
find another haycock missing. The second son was not
more fortunate in preventing the disappearance of the hay,
while the others succeeded no better; in fact, of all the
twelve haycocks, there only remained the largest, Niezguinek’s,
and even that had been meddled with. :

When it was the youngest’s turn to watch, he went to
the village blacksmith and got him to make an iron club
weighing two hundred and sixty pounds; so heavy was it
that the blacksmith and his assistants could hardly turn it
on the anvil. In order to test it, Niezguinek whirled it
round his head and threw it up in the air, and when it
had nearly reached the ground he caught it on his knee,
upon which it was smashed to atoms, He then ordered
another weighing four hundred and eighty pounds, and
this the blacksmith and his men could not even move.
Niezguinek had helped them to make it, and when finished
he tested it in the same manner as the first. Finding it
did not break he kept it, and had in addition a noose
plaited with twelve strong ropes. Towards nightfall he
went to the field, crouched down behind his haycock, crossed
himself, and waited to see what would happen. At mid-
night there was a tremendous noise which seemed to come
from the east, while in that direction appeared a bright
light. Then a white mare, with twelve colts as white as
herself, trotted up to the haycock and began to eat it.
Niezguinek came out of his hiding-place, and throwing the
noose over the mare’s neck, jumped on her back and struck
her with his heavy club. The terrified creature gave the