The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-06
The Three Gifts.

Once there was very poor man and he
went out into the forest to cut firewood.
While the sweat was flowing down his face
from the hard work, an old beggar asked
aims Of him. The poor man taking pity on
the beggar, laid down his axe, and with
heartfelt kindness shared his small piece of
bread and water with the aged man. The
old beggar having eaten the bread spoke
thus to the woodcuttcr: ''Take your time,
my son, and take the tablccloth for your
kindness. Hereafter, when hard times
comes upon you, and you are hungry, say
to the table-cloth: "Cover the table," I'M
mediately tho table will be covered and
loaded down with the best Of everything to
eat and drink. I am the rewarder of the
good. On account of your deeds l give you
this gift" After that the old man .disap-
pcarcd and tho wood-cutter set out ioyfully
for his home. 1t grew dark on tho road
and he turned into a tavern, and told tho
master of the house, his old acquaintance,
of his good luck. Lest his words might be
taken for fable he made trial of the table
cloth, and had a jolly supper with tho
tavern-kecper and his wife, on the choice
food and drink which the table cloth fur
nished. After supper he lay down to rest.
In the meanwhile the wicked hostess got
another table-cloth, just like the one used,
and put it in place of the wood cutters.
He, suspecting nothing, rose up in tho
morning, hastened home with the false
table-cloth, told his wife the whole story,
and to prove what he said, ordered the
cloth to cover the table. In vain hundred
times he repeated the words, "Cover the
table, CLOTH" 1t never moved. The poor
man could not understand what the trouble
,nx<f 1nx I,o Al
and shared his bread with the old man
again, receiving o sheep to which it was
necessary to say, "drop gold, my sheep, {"
and Immediately gold fell in showers. Co.
ing home In the evening he went into the
tavern, and showed the master of the house
what a sheep he had got. In the morning
he got up and drove home sheep which
had been put in the place Of his, and mar
yelled beyond measure That it would not
drop gold as before. Again he went to tho
forest and entertained the beggar, and told
him how 1t had gone with the table-cloth
and the sheep. Tho beggar expressed no
wonder, but gave him club and told him
that the tavern-keeper's wife had taken his
| cloth and sheep, and that he should get them
back by means Of the club to which he had
only to say ''strike my club" and it would
beat down whole army He started
homo and on the way went to the tavern a
third time and asked for the cloth and the
sheep. When the tavern keeper refused to
give them back he cried out ''Strlke nv
stick, strike" 1t struck the wicked man
and his wife till they were glad to give back
the cloth and the sheep. Tho woodcutter
went home and told his wife the whole
story, and in order that his house should
! gain honor he invited the king to dinner
next day. The king was astonished, and
toward noon sent his servants to sec wha,
they were cooking, who came back with
the answer that there was no fire In the
kitchen. His majesty was all the more
astonished when at midday he found the
! table bending under tho choicest food and