Atondido Stories
most graciously. Then he said:
"Now, my dear shoemaker, let me make you a little present
in return. Do you see anything here that you'd like?"
"If it pleases your Highness," the shoemaker said, "give me
that cloth that is spread over your table."
Lucifer at once handed him the cloth and dismissed him with
many wishes for a pleasant journey back to earth.
As the shoemaker was leaving the friendly little devil of a
guard said to him:
"I just want to tell you that's no ordinary tablecloth that the
Prince has given you. No, indeed! Whenever you're hungry, all
you've got to do is spread out that cloth and say: 'Meat and
drink for one!' or, for as many as you want, and instantly you
will have what you ask."
Overjoyed at his good fortune the little shoemaker hurried
back to earth. As night came on he stopped at a tavern. He
thought this was a good place to try the tablecloth. So he took it
out of his bag, spread it over the table, and said:
"Meat and drink for one!"
Instantly a fine supper appeared and the shoemaker ate and
drank his fill.
Now the landlord of the tavern was an evil, covetous fellow
and when he saw how the tablecloth worked his fingers itched
to own it. He called his wife aside and told her in guarded whis-
pers what he had seen.
Her eyes, too, filled with greed.
"Husband," she whispered back, "we've got to get possession
of that tablecloth! Think what a help it would be to us in our
business! I tell you what we'll do: tonight when the shoemaker is
asleep we'll steal his tablecloth and slip in one of our own in its
place. He's a simple fellow and will never know the difference."
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