Well! when it came to table the guests liked it so well that they asked the host who cooked it.  And he called to his servants, “Send up the cook who cooked that fine fish, that she may get her reward.”

Well! when the girl heard she was wanted she made herself ready, and with the gold ring on her thumb, went boldly into the dining-hall.  And all the guests when they saw her were struck dumb by her wonderful beauty.  And the young husband started up gladly; but the Baron, recognising her, jumped up angrily and looked as if he would kill her.  So, without one word, the girl held up her hand before his face, and the gold ring shone and glittered on it; and she went straight up to the Baron, and laid her hand with the ring on it before him on the table.

Then the Baron understood that Fate had been too strong for him; so he took her by the hand, and, placing her beside him, turned to the guests and said: 

“This is my son’s wife.  Let us drink a toast in her honour.”

And after dinner he took her and his son home to his castle, where they all lived as happy as could be for ever afterwards.

[Illustration:  Headpiece—­Lawkamercyme]

LAWKAMERCYME

    There was an old woman, as I’ve heard tell,
    She went to the market her eggs for to sell;
    She went to the market, all on a market-day,
    And she fell asleep on the king’s highway.

    There came by a pedlar, whose name it was Stout,
    He cut all her petticoats all round about;
    He cut her petticoats up to the knees,
    Which made the old woman to shiver and freeze.

    When this old woman first did awake,
    She ’gan to shiver, she ’gan to shake;
    She ’gan to wonder, she ’gan to cry—­
    “Lawkamercyme! this is none of I!

    “But if it be I, as I do hope it be,
    I’ve a little dog at home, and sure he’ll know me;
    If it be I, he’ll wag his little tail,
    And if it be not I, then he’ll bark and wail.”

    Home went the old woman, all in the dark;
    Up got the little dog, and he began to bark,
    He began to bark, and she began to cry—­
    “Lawkamercyme! this is none of I!”

[Illustration:  A funny-looking old gentleman engaged her and took her home]

MASTER OF ALL MASTERS

A Girl once went to the fair to hire herself for servant.  At last a funny-looking old gentleman engaged her and took her home to his house.  When she got there, he told her that he had something to teach her, for that in his house he had his own names for things.

He said to her, “What will you call me?”

“Master or mister, or whatever you please, sir,” says she.

He said, “You must call me ‘master of all masters.’  And what would you call this?” pointing to his bed.