Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-04-05
4 Wolf story.

Mr. Isegrim, who had done great many
bad things In his life, felt, as be grew old,
that his strength was failing, and resolved
at once for the remainder Of his days, to
lead better life; for his fur was all tan
gled and stringy, his legs weak, his best
teeth broken out and the remainder be-
coming loose.
So he procured at toy-market some
clothing. in order to make himself unknown
10 his former enemies, took a travellers
staff in his hand, and sought out quiet
place for his approaching old age. He
comes to peasant and offers to work for
him says he knows how to take care of
stock, especially Of sheep, having had
much to do with sheep and shepherds in
/ former times The peasant accepts his
services. and Nr Isegrim leads the sheep
out 10 pasture soon he sees among them
= pretty little lamb, white as SNOW, and
takes great fancy for 1t. But the old
wolf nature rouses up in him, he clasps
the lamb In his arms and kisses it so much
that, at last. out of pure love. he begins
to deyour It, and in little while there was
nothing of the poor lamb but the white
skin all covered with blood
When he came back to tire house, the
peasant asked Sir, where is my pretty
white lamb !? Mr. Isegrim replied, The
lamb attacked me and wanted to strange
me, but as | defended myself as carefully
as | could, 1t happened that | squeezed it
a little too hard. Then the peasant took
big club, struck this bad servant, and
drove him from the place
l. -.
ant, and hired to him This one gave him
charge of his chickens and geese and told
him to take good care Of them. Do not
trouble yourself said Isegrim, you shall
be entirely satisfied with me- So the
peasant went off to the field to work But
no sooner was the peasant out of sight than
the rascal fell upon the hens and tore two
or three into pieces and ate all be wanted.
Such feast | have not had for a long
time, he said.
But when the peasant returned he no.
ticed at once what had happened, aud said
to Isegrim, Where are my hens, and
where do these bloody feathers come from p
Sir said Isegrim, think what a good
for-nothing set of hens you have To-day,
rs | stepped into the henery, | saw to nv
establishment that they had given them
selves up entirely to play and | undertook
to set them to rights and to punish them,
and in my zeal to correct them this acct
dent took place You false servant
exclaimed the peasant, get out of my
house and he struck him and pitched him
out of the door.
Mr.. Isegrim shook himself and went to
the woods. All at once he stood still
and said OF all good things there are
three
Near by there stood lone peasants
house. and thither he went. He knocked
at the door, stepped into the room, where
sat the peasant with his workmen at the
supper-table Have you no work for a
poor old man Where twelve eat, the
thirteenth will not be noticed, and there is
always something to do he said. Il do
not mind said the peasant; you can
stay But one of the men arose, and.
looking lsegrim in the face, said, If | am
not mistaken | have seen you before. Do
you not think so?' Possibly replied
lsegrim, perhaps at dance or something
like that No, no. said the servant,
you are the one, l know by your ear,
whom | beat last year for getting among
the herd Of my master. You vagaboRd
you robber = What is he the one" all
exclaimed, and all sprang from their seats.
Kill the murdurer-no, hang him, and
at once" They caught him, put strap
around his neck hanged him to an old
tree, and he found more quiet place than
be had wished for-From the German bv
Jno. E. carp