Francis and Martin

Once there was a father who had only one son, Francis by name. They had

a farmhand called Martin. One day Martin and Francis were ploughing

behind the barn. Francis's mother brought their meal for them, and

Francis said: "Well, mother, the old man must have a lot more money

than he lets on to have. We are not in debt, and yet he's always

complaining that he hasn't any money."

"Well, my son, you see, he's built that large building."

Next day Francis and Martin were ploughing together again. They

decided that they must get on the old man's track to see whether he

had any money, and where he hid it. Francis promised Martin that,

if he could find it out, he would build a cottage for him at the back

of the barn. So they agreed that Martin should stay away from church

to try to find out if the farmer had any money hidden away at home.

When Sunday came, Francis went to church, but Martin kept on saying

he wouldn't go, until the farmer forced him to go. So he dressed for

church and went out through the farm gate. But he came back on the

other side, climbed over the fence, and hid himself in the barn. Soon

after this the farmer came into the barn, carrying a basket full of

coins. He dug a hole in the threshing-floor, put the money in it,

and said: "Black Barabbas! preserve this money for me! Thou black

bird! I put it in thy power!" Then he went and fetched a second basket

and put it in the hole. But while he was gone to fetch the money,

Martin slipped out of his hiding-place, took some of the money, and

put it in his boots. Now, the farmer came back again with a third

basket, and said once more: "Thou black bird! keep this money for

me, and let nobody else have it, unless he gets it by ploughing this

threshing-floor with three black goats!"

As he was saying these words, a blackbird was soaring above his head

and crying out: "Master, what about the money in the boots?"

But the farmer did not understand what it meant, and so he went to

look at his own boots, which were in the room. But he found no money

there, so he was angry and said: "What, you devil! it's rubbish you

are talking. I've looked in my boots and there's nothing there." Then

he buried the money, stamped down the threshing-floor hard again,

and went out.

Martin went to the stable, and there he found Francis waiting for

him to tell him what the parson's sermon had been about that day,

so that he would know what to say if the farmer asked him about it.

Soon afterwards the old man was taken ill and died. The two lads

were pleased at this, for they hoped that they wouldn't be long about

getting the money. Martin got three black goats, he put them in the

plough, and sent Francis to plough there. The wind began to blow

violently, and the whole barn looked as though it were on fire. He

was frightened and stopped ploughing, and immediately the whole barn

was just as it had been before. So he went out of the barn and asked

Martin to plough for him. Martin started, and, although the wind blew

violently enough, he kept on ploughing until he got the money.

When Francis had the money, he began to build just as he wanted until

he had spent it all. Then he gave Martin the sack.

Martin said sorrowfully: "This is the world's gratitude."