"Because that is the way to silence teasing children," replied the other grandmother. "They used to do just the way it tells in the story in my great-grandmother's time." Again there was a pause. The knitting-needles clicked fast. "Am I a teasing child?" asked the little boy at last. "No, you are not, bless your little heart!" said the other grandmother. "Mother's-mother likes to tell you stories. Only you should not sit quiet too long. You ought to play now." The little boy went close to the other grandmother's side, and looking up into her face, he said very coaxingly: "But I am going away to-morrow, little mother's-mother. Won't you tell me one more story?" "Run out and see if the sun is setting," said the other grandmother. "If it has not yet gone down I will tell you another story." The little boy ran out in the greatest hurry. The other grandmother's house was upstairs and it had no court--that was why she kept neither cow nor fowl. So he had to run down the dark stone stairway, and he was in such haste that he fell down the last two steps. But he picked himself up and ran out. There at the far end of the long street was the sun, still quite above the clouds that would wrap him up in bed by and by. The little boy ran upstairs, breathless. "He is up, mother's-mother! He hasn't gone to bed yet! The story, please!" And the other grandmother told about THE YOUTH AND THE VILA Once upon a time there was a father who had three sons. Two of them passed for clever, but the third and youngest was stupid, as every one agreed. When people wanted anything done they only called upon the two clever ones, while they would not let the stupid one have anything to do with them. In their father's garden was a silver pear-tree which every night bore flowers and fruit; but the pears were regularly plucked and carried away by the Vilas. "What the mischief!" said the eldest and the second brother, "how long is this thing going to last?" and they determined to mount guard over the tree. But to their youngest brother they said, "You are too stupid for this work." So they carried feather-beds and pillows out under the tree, lay down, and went to sleep. While they were sleeping the Vilas came, plucked the pears, and went away. As soon as they were gone the brothers awoke, went back to the house, and told what had happened. Then the stupid brother declared that he would watch the tree. That he might not be overcome with sleep he made himself a bed of thorns; but in spite of all he fell asleep. Yet he awaked when the Vilas came, and saw one of them standing at his side. He pulled out one of her hairs, whereupon the Vila vanished.