of heaven,” said the man.  Then our Lord said:  “I will give you as many years of heaven as there are blades of grass on the earth, and hell after that.”  “That is not enough of heaven,” said the man.  “And I will ask you for this,” he said; “give me a year of hell for all these things you have spoken of:  the drops in the sea, and the blades of grass, and the grains of the sand, and give me heaven in the end.”

’And when the Lord heard that, He said, “I will give you heaven first and last.”

‘That is how the Catholic had him saved.’

* * * * *

Another old man says:  ’There was a king one time that had a daughter; and she went out one day in the garden, and there she saw a bird—­a jackdaw it was—­and she thought it very nice, and she followed it on.  And at last it spoke to her, and it said:  “Will you give me your promise to marry me at the end of a year and a day?” “I will not,” she said; and she went into the house again.

’After that the king’s younger daughter went out, and she saw the bird and followed it, and it asked her the same thing.  And she gave her promise to marry it at the end of a year and a day.

’And at the end of that time a great coach and horses came up to the door of the king’s house; and the jackdaw came in, and he took the edge of the young girl’s dress in his beak to draw her out of the house.  And she went away in the carriage with him, and they came to a sort of a castle, and went into it.  And there was no one in it; but no sooner did they come in, than there was a table set out before them, with every sort of food and drink, and beautiful gold cups and everything grand.  And when they had eaten enough, the bird said, “Don’t be frightened at anything you may see; and whatever happens, don’t say one word; for if you do, you will lose me for ever.”

’And then some sort of people came in, and began hitting at the bird and attacking him, and he keeping out of their way.  And at last they got to him, and began to knock feathers from him.  And when the young girl saw that, she cried out, “Oh, they are destroying you, my poor jackdaw!” “Oh!” he said, “why did you say that?  If you had not spoken,” he said:  “I would be all right; but now I must leave you for ever.  And here is a ring I will leave with you,” he said:  “and whatever desire you have, you will get it when you rub the ring.”

’He went away then, and there was no one left in the house but the young girl; and all was darkness around her.  And she went up the stairs; and at last she saw a little sign of light through a hole in the roof; and she rubbed the ring, and she said:  “I wish that hole to be made bigger.”  And so it was on the moment, and more light came in.