little rascal did not alter his conduct, but continued to study the habits of the blackbirds, sparrows, and other intelligent marauders.  One day his father told him that he would be wise to model himself after them, for that if he continued this kind of life, he would be compelled in his old age like them, to pilfer, and like them, would be pursued by justice.  This came true; for, as has before been stated, he dissipated in a few days the crowns which his careful father had acquired in a life-time.  He dealt with men as he did with the sparrows, letting everyone put a hand in his pocket, and contemplating the grace and polite demeanour of those who assisted to empty it.  The end of his wealth was thus soon reached.  When the devil had the empty money bag to himself, Tryballot did not appear at all cut up, saying, that he “did not wish to damn himself for this world’s goods, and that he had studied philosophy in the school of the birds.”

After having thoroughly enjoyed himself, of all his goods, there only remained to him a goblet bought at Landict, and three dice, quite sufficient furniture for drinking and gambling, so that he went about without being encumbered, as are the great, with chariots, carpets, dripping pans, and an infinite number of varlets.  Tryballot wished to see his good friends, but they no longer knew him, which fact gave him leave no longer to recognise anyone.  Seeing this, he determined to choose a profession in which there was nothing to do and plenty to gain.  Thinking this over, he remembered the indulgences of the blackbirds and the sparrows.  Then the good Tryballot selected for his profession that of begging money at people’s houses, and pilfering.  From the first day, charitable people gave him something, and Tryballot was content, finding the business good, without advance money or bad debts; on the contrary, full of accommodation.  He went about it so heartily, that he was liked everywhere, and received a thousand consolations refused to rich people.  The good man watched the peasants planting, sowing, reaping, and making harvest, and said to himself, that they worked a little for him as well.  He who had a pig in his larder owed him a bit for it, without suspecting it.  The man who baked a loaf in his oven often baked it for Tryballot without knowing it.  He took nothing by force; on the contrary, people said to him kindly, while making him a present, “Here Vieux par-Chemins, cheer up, old fellow.  How are you?  Come, take this; the cat began it, you can finish it.”

Vieux par-Chemins was at all the weddings, baptisms, and funerals, because he went everywhere where there was, openly or secretly, merriment and feasting.  He religiously kept the statutes and canons of his order—­namely, to do nothing, because if he had been able to do the smallest amount of work no one would ever give anything again.  After having refreshed himself, this wise man would lay full length in a ditch, or against a church wall, and think