Crossingthemoor，Iarrivedinaboutanhouratasmallvillage，fromwhich，afterashortstay，Iproceededtoanother，andfromthencetoathird。IfoundthatthenameofSlingsbywaswellknownintheseparts。
’IfyouareafriendofSlingsbyyoumustbeanhonestlad，’saidanancientcrone；’youshallneverwantforworkwhilstIcangiveityou。Here，takemykettle，thebottomcameoutthismorning，andlendmethatofyourstillyoubringitback。I’mnotafraidtotrustyou-notI。Don’thurryyourself，youngman，ifyoudon’tcomebackforafortnightIshan’thavetheworseopinionofyou。’
Ireturnedtomyquartersatevening，tired，butrejoicedatheart；
Ihadworkbeforemeforseveraldays，havingcollectedvariouskekaubieswhichrequiredmending，inplaceofthosewhichIleftbehind-thosewhichIhadbeenemployeduponduringthelastfewdays。Ifoundallquietinthelaneorglade，and，unharnessingmylittlehorse，Ioncemorepitchedmytentintheoldspotbeneaththeash，lightedmyfire，atemyfrugalmeal，andthen，afterlookingforsometimeattheheavenlybodies，andmoreparticularlyatthestarJupiter，Ienteredmytent，laydownuponmypallet，andwenttosleep。
Nothingoccurredonthefollowingdaywhichrequiresanyparticularnotice，norindeedontheonesucceedingthat。ItwasaboutnoononthethirddaythatIsatbeneaththeshadeoftheashtree；I
wasnotatwork，fortheweatherwasparticularlyhot，andIfeltbutlittleinclinationtomakeanyexertion。Leaningmybackagainstthetree，Iwasnotlonginfallingintoaslumber；I
particularlyrememberthatslumberofminebeneaththeashtree，foritwasaboutthesweetestslumberthatIeverenjoyed；howlongIcontinuedinitIdonotknow；Icouldalmosthavewishedthatithadlastedtothepresenttime。Allofasuddenitappearedtomethatavoicecriedinmyear，’Danger!danger!danger!’NothingseeminglycouldbemoredistinctthanthewordswhichIheard；thenanuneasysensationcameoverme，whichIstrovetogetridof，andatlastsucceeded，forIawoke。Thegypsygirlwasstandingjustoppositetome，withhereyesfixeduponmycountenance；asingularkindoflittledogstoodbesideher。
’Ha!’saidI，’wasityouthatcrieddanger？Whatdangeristhere？’
’Danger，brother，thereisnodanger；whatdangershouldtherebe？
Icalledtomylittledog，butthatwasinthewood；mylittledog’snameisnotdanger，butStranger；whatdangershouldtherebe，brother？’
’What，indeed，exceptinsleepingbeneathatree；whatisthatyouhavegotinyourhand？’
’Somethingforyou，’saidthegirl，sittingdownandproceedingtountieawhitenapkin；’aprettymanricli，sosweet，sonice；whenI
wenthometomypeopleItoldmygrand-bebeehowkindyouhadbeentothepoorperson’schild，andwhenmygrand-bebeesawthekekaubi，shesaid，“Hirmidevlis，itwon’tdoforthepoorpeopletobeungrateful；bymyGod，Iwillbakeacakefortheyoungharkomescro。“’
’Buttherearetwocakes。’
’Yes，brother，twocakes，bothforyou；mygrandbebeemeantthembothforyou-butlist，brother，Iwillhaveoneofthemforbringingthem。Iknowyouwillgivemeone，prettybrother，gray-
hairedbrother-whichshallIhave，brother？’
Inthenapkinweretworoundcakes，seeminglymadeofrichandcostlycompounds，andpreciselysimilarinform，eachweighingabouthalfapound。
’WhichshallIhave，brother？’saidthegypsygirl。
’Whicheveryouplease。’
’No，brother，no，thecakesareyours，notmine。Itisforyoutosay。’
’Well，then，givemetheonenearestyou，andtaketheother。’
’Yes，brother，yes，’saidthegirl；andtakingthecakes，sheflungthemintotheairtwoorthreetimes，catchingthemastheyfell，andsingingthewhile。’Prettybrother，gray-hairedbrother-
here，brother，’saidshe，’hereisyourcake，thisotherismine。’
’Areyousure，’saidI，takingthecake，’thatthisistheoneI
chose？’
’Quitesure，brother；butifyoulikeyoucanhavemine；there’snodifference，however-shallIeat？’
’Yes，sister，eat。’
’See，brother，Ido；now，brother，eat，prettybrother，gray-hairedbrother。’
’Iamnothungry。’
’Nothungry!well，whatthen-whathasbeinghungrytodowiththematter？Itismygrandbebee’scakewhichwassentbecauseyouwerekindtothepoorperson’schild；eat，brother，eat，andweshallbelikethechildreninthewoodthatthegorgiosspeakof。’
’Thechildreninthewoodhadnothingtoeat。’
’Yes，theyhadhipsandhaws；wehavebetter。Eat，brother。’
’See，sister，Ido，’andIateapieceofthecake。
’Well，brother，howdoyoulikeit？’saidthegirl，lookingfixedlyatme。
’Itisveryrichandsweet，andyetthereissomethingstrangeaboutit；Idon’tthinkIshalleatanymore。’
’Fie，brother，fie，tofindfaultwiththepoorperson’scake；see，Ihavenearlyeatenmine。’
’That’saprettylittledog。’
’Isitnot，brother？that’smyjuggal，mylittlesister，asIcallher。’
’Comehere，juggal，’saidItotheanimal。
’Whatdoyouwantwithmyjuggal？’saidthegirl。
’Onlytogiveherapieceofcake，’saidI，offeringthedogapiecewhichIhadjustbrokenoff。
’Whatdoyoumean？’saidthegirl，snatchingthedogaway；’mygrandbebee’scakeisnotfordogs。’
’Why，Ijustnowsawyougivetheanimalapieceofyours。’
’Youlie，brother，yousawnosuchthing；butIseehowitis，youwishtoaffrontthepoorperson’schild。Ishallgotomyhouse。’
’Keepstill，anddon’tbeangry；see，IhaveeatenthepiecewhichIofferedthedog。Imeantnooffence。Itisasweetcakeafterall。’
’Isn’tit，brother？Iamgladyoulikeit。Offence，brother，nooffenceatall!Iamsogladyoulikemygrandbebee’scake，butshewillbewantingmeathome。Eatonepiecemoreofgrandbebee’scake，andIwillgo。’
’Iamnothungry，Iwillputtherestby。’
’OnepiecemorebeforeIgo，handsomebrother，gray-hairedbrother。’
’Iwillnoteatanymore，IhavealreadyeatenmorethanIwishedtoobligeyou；ifyoumustgo，good-daytoyou。’
Thegirlroseuponherfeet，lookedhardatme，thenattheremainderofthecakewhichIheldinmyhand，andthenatmeagain，andthenstoodforamomentortwo，asifindeepthought；
presentlyanairofsatisfactioncameoverhercountenance，shesmiledandsaid，’Well，brother，well，doasyouplease，Imerelywishedyoutoeatbecauseyouhavebeensokindtothepoorperson’schild。Shelovesyouso，thatshecouldhavewishedtohaveseenyoueatitall；good-bye，brother，IdaresaywhenIamgoneyouwilleatsomemoreofit，andifyoudon’t，Idaresayyouhaveeatenenoughto-to-showyourloveforus。Afterallitwasapoorperson’scake，aRommanymanricli，andallyougorgiosaresomewhatgorgious。Farewell，brother，prettybrother，gray-
hairedbrother。Come，juggal。’
Iremainedundertheashtreeseatedonthegrassforaminuteortwo，andendeavouredtoresumetheoccupationinwhichIhadbeenengagedbeforeIfellasleep，butIfeltnoinclinationforlabour。
IthenthoughtIwouldsleepagain，andoncemorereclinedagainstthetree，andslumberedforsomelittletime，butmysleepwasmoreagitatedthanbefore。Somethingappearedtobearheavyonmybreast，Istruggledinmysleep，fellonthegrass，andawoke；mytempleswerethrobbing，therewasaburninginmyeyes，andmymouthfeltparched；theoppressionaboutthechestwhichIhadfeltinmysleepstillcontinued。’Imustshakeoffthesefeelings，’
saidI，’andgetuponmylegs。’Iwalkedrapidlyupanddownuponthegreensward；atlength，feelingmythirstincrease，Idirectedmystepsdownthenarrowpathtothespringwhichranamidstthebushes；arrivingthere，Ikneltdownanddrankofthewater，butonliftingupmyheadIfeltthirstierthanbefore；againIdrank，butwiththelikeresult；Iwasabouttodrinkforthethirdtime，whenIfeltadreadfulqualmwhichinstantlyrobbedmeofnearlyallmystrength。Whatcanbethematterwithme？thoughtI；butIsupposeIhavemademyselfillbydrinkingcoldwater。Igotupandmadethebestofmywaybacktomytent；beforeIreacheditthequalmhadseizedmeagain，andIwasdeadlysick。Iflungmyselfonmypallet，qualmsucceededqualm，butintheintervalsmymouthwasdryandburning，andIfeltafranticdesiretodrink，butnowaterwasathand，andtoreachthespringoncemorewasimpossible；thequalmscontinued，deadlypainsshotthroughmywholeframe；Icouldbearmyagoniesnolonger，andIfellintoatranceorswoon。HowlongIcontinuedthereinIknownot；onrecovering，however，Ifeltsomewhatbetter，andattemptedtoliftmyheadoffmycouch；thenextmoment，however，thequalmsandpainsreturned，ifpossible，withgreaterviolencethanbefore。Iamdying，thoughtI，likeadog，withoutanyhelp；andthenmethoughtIheardasoundatadistancelikepeoplesinging，andthenoncemoreIrelapsedintomyswoon。
Irevivedjustasaheavyblowsoundeduponthecanvasofthetent。
Istarted，butmyconditiondidnotpermitmetorise；againthesamekindofblowsoundeduponthecanvas；Ithoughtforamomentofcryingoutandrequestingassistance，butaninexplicablesomethingchainedmytongue，andnowIheardawhisperontheoutsideofthetent。’Hedoesnotmove，bebee，’saidavoicewhichIknew。’Ishouldnotwonderifithasdoneforhimalready；
however，strikeagainwithyourran’；andthentherewasanotherblow，afterwhichanothervoicecriedaloudinastrangetone，’Isthegentlemanofthehouseasleep，orishetakinghisdinner？’I