A son was born to a poor peasant. He rejoiced and went to a neighbour to ask him to stand as godfather to the boy. The neighbour refused. He did not want to be godfather to a poor man’s son. So the peasant went to another neighbour and he, too, refused. He walked from house to house, but could find no one who would be godfather to his son, so he set out to another village. On his way he met a stranger, who stopped him and said, “Good day, peasant; where are you going to?” “God has given me a child,” the peasant said, “to gladden my sight in my youth, to comfort me in my old age and to pray for my soul when I die. No one in our village will be godfather to him, so I am going to seek one elsewhere.” “Let me be his godfather,” the stranger said. The peasant rejoiced. He thanked the stranger and said, “But whom shall I ask to be his godmother?” “Go into the town,” the stranger said; “in the square you will see a stone house with shop windows; go in and ask the merchant to let his daughter stand as godmother to your son.” The peasant was doubtful. “But how can I ask a rich merchant? He will be too proud to let his daughter come to a poor man like me.” “That won’t be your fault; go and ask him. Have everything ready by the morning and I’ll come to the christening.” The peasant went home, then drove into the town to the merchant. He had no sooner stopped in the yard than the merchant came out. “What do you want?” he asked. “God has given me a child,” the peasant said, “to gladden my sight in my youth, to comfort me in my old age and to pray for my soul when I die. Will you be kind enough to let your daughter come and be godmother to the child?” “When is the christening?” “To-morrow morning.” “Very well; go, in God’s name. To-morrow my daughter will be at the church.” The next day the godmother and godfather came; the child was christened, but directly after the christening the godfather disappeared. No one knew who he was and no one saw him from that day. II The child grew up to the parents’ great joy; and he was strong and industrious and clever and humble. When he was ten years old the parents sent him to school, and what it took others five years to learn the boy learnt in one. And there was no one in the village who could teach him more. Easter came round and the boy went to his godmother to give her the Easter greeting. When he returned home he said, “Father and mother, where does my godfather live? I should like to give him the Easter greeting, too.” And the father said, “We don’t know where your godfather lives, dear son. We, too, have worried over that. We have not seen him since you were christened. We have not heard of him and don’t know where he lives, nor whether he is alive at all.” The boy bowed to his father and mother. “Let me go,” he said, “to seek my godfather. I want to find him and give him the Easter greeting.” The father and mother gave their consent and the boy set out to find his godfather. III