When they had done eating, the man carried off the good sack, and put it away in his store-room, but hung the bad sack up on the nail. Then he lounged up and down in the yard. Meantime his wife became thirsty. She looked with longing eyes at the sack, and at last she said, as her husband had done: ‘Two out of the sack.’ And at once the two rogues with their big sticks crept out of the sack, and began to belabour her as they sang: ‘Would you beat your husband true? Don’t cry so! Now we’ll beat you black and blue! Oh! Oh!’ The woman screamed out: ‘Old man, old man! Come here, quick! Here are two ruffians pommelling me fit to break my bones.’ Her husband only strolled up and down and laughed, as he said: ‘Yes, they’ll beat you well, old lady.’ And the two thumped away and sang again: ‘Blows will hurt, remember, crone, We mean you well, we mean you well; In future leave the stick alone, For how it hurts, you now can tell, One--two--’ At last her husband took pity on her, and cried: ‘Two into the sack.’ He had hardly said the words before they were back in the sack again. From this time the man and his wife lived so happily together that it was a pleasure to see them, and so the story has an end. (From Russiche Marchen.) THE ENVIOUS NEIGHBOUR Long, long ago an old couple lived in a village, and, as they had no children to love and care for, they gave all their affection to a little dog. He was a pretty little creature, and instead of growing spoilt and disagreeable at not getting everything he wanted, as even children will do sometimes, the dog was grateful to them for their kindness, and never left their side, whether they were in the house or out of it. One day the old man was working in his garden, with his dog, as usual, close by. The morning was hot, and at last he put down his spade and wiped his wet forehead, noticing, as he did so, that the animal was snuffling and scratching at a spot a little way off. There was nothing very strange in this, as all dogs are fond of scratching, and he went on quietly with his digging, when the dog ran up to his master, barking loudly, and back again to the place where he had been scratching. This he did several times, till the old man wondered what could be the matter, and, picking up the spade, followed where the dog led him. The dog was so delighted at his success that he jumped round, barking loudly, till the noise brought the old woman out of the house.