little present in return. Do you see anything here that you’d like?”
“If it pleases your Highness,” the shoemaker said, “give me that cloth that is spread over your table.”
Lucifer at once handed him the cloth and dismissed him with many wishes for a pleasant journey back to earth.
As the shoemaker was leaving the friendly little devil of a guard said to him:
“I just want to tell you that’s no ordinary tablecloth that the Prince has given you. No, indeed! Whenever you’re hungry, all you’ve got to do is spread out that cloth and say: ‘Meat and drink for one!’ or, for as many as you want, and instantly you will have what you ask.”
Overjoyed at his good fortune the little shoemaker hurried back to earth. As night came on he stopped at a tavern. He thought this was a good place to try the tablecloth. So he took it out of his bag, spread it over the table, and said:
“Meat and drink for one!”
Instantly a fine supper appeared and the shoemaker ate and drank his fill.
Now the landlord of the tavern was an evil, covetous fellow and when he saw how the tablecloth worked his
