346 SLAV TALES

The fool looked at them and laughed in their faces.
Then he said to his wand :

“O self-propelling, ever willing, fighting Wand
Strike with thy usual fire
My ever-scolding, teasing, worrying brother band,
For they have roused my ire.”

The wand needed no second bidding, and darting out of
his hand began to thrash the brothers soundly, crying out like

a reasoning creature :

“Your brother has often your blows felt, alack !
Now taste it yourselves ; hope you like it, whack, whack.”

The brothers were overpowered, and felt all the while as if
boiling water were being poured over their heads. Yelling
with pain they began to run at full speed, and soon disap-
peared with clouds of dust flying round them.

The wand then came back to the fool’s hand. He went
into the house, climbed on the stove, and told his mother all
that had happened. Then he cried:

“O Tablecloth, who for the poor,
The hungry, and thirsty, makes cheer,
Let us within our cottage door
Feed off you without stint or fear.”

A whistling was heard in the air, something bright shone
overhead, and then a table, laid as for a royal banquet, was
placed before them, covered with dainty meats, glasses, and
bottles of mead and wine. The whole service was of gold
and silver. As the fool and his mother were about to begin
the feast the herdsman entered. He stopped, dumb with