_Myself_. I can sit down, and bid the serpent go to sleep, that's easy enough; but as for eating a sweetmeat, how can I do that? I have not got one, and where am I to get it? _Woman_. Never fear, my tiny tawny, we can give you one, such as you never ate, I dare say, however far you may have come from. The serpent sunk into its usual resting-place, and I sat down on the stool. The woman opened a box, and took out a strange little basket or hamper, not much larger than a man's fist, and formed of a delicate kind of matting. It was sewed at the top; but, ripping it open with a knife, she held it to me, and I saw, to my surprise, that it contained candied fruits of a dark green hue, tempting enough to one of my age. "There, my tiny," said she; "taste, and tell me how you like them." "Very much," said I; "where did you get them?" The beldame leered upon me for a moment, then, nodding her head thrice, with a knowing look, said: "Who knows better than yourself, my tawny?" Now, I knew nothing about the matter; but I saw that these strange people had conceived a very high opinion of the abilities of their visitor, which I was nothing loath to encourage. I therefore answered boldly, "Ah! who indeed!" "Certainly," said the man; "who should know better than yourself, or who so well? And now my tiny one, let me ask you one thing--you didn't come to do us any harm?" "No," said I, "I had no dislike to you; though, if you were to meddle with me--" _Man_. Of course, my gorgious, of course you would; and quite right too. Meddle with you!--what right have we? I should say it would not be quite safe. I see how it is; you are one of them there;--and he bent his head towards his left shoulder. _Myself_. Yes, I am one of them--for I thought he was alluding to the soldiers,--you had best mind what you are about, I can tell you. _Man_. Don't doubt we will for our own sake; Lord bless you, wifelkin, only think that we should see one of them there when we least thought about it. Well, I have heard of such things, though I never thought to see one; however, seeing is believing. Well! now you are come, and are not going to do us any mischief, I hope you will stay; you can do us plenty of good if you will. _Myself_. What good can I do you? _Man_. What good? plenty! Would you not bring us luck? I have heard say, that one of them there always does, if it will but settle down. Stay with us, you shall have a tilted cart all to yourself if you like. We'll make you our little God Almighty, and say our prayers to you every morning! _Myself_. That would be nice; and if you were to give me plenty of these things, I should have no objection. But what would my father say? I think he would hardly let me. _Man_. Why not? he would be with you; and kindly would we treat him. Indeed, without your father you would be nothing at all.