Page:The shoemaker's apron (1920).djvu/284

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264
THE DEVIL’S LITTLE BROTHER-IN-LAW

I’ve told you before I’m not the Devil. I’m only his little brother-in-law.”

The landlord shook his head.

“Yes, I know, but I must say it seems much the same to me.”

One afternoon the prince came riding down to the tavern and asked for Peter. He was horrified at first by Peter’s appearance, but he treated him most politely, invited him to the castle, and ended by begging the loan of a large sum of money.

Peter said to the prince:

“I’ll give you as much money as you want provided you let me marry one of your daughters.”

The prince wasn’t prepared for this but he needed money so badly that he said:

“H’m, which one of them?”

“I’m not particular,” Peter answered. “Any of them will do.”

When he gave the prince some money in advance, the prince agreed and Peter promised to come to the castle the next day to meet his bride to be.

The prince when he got home told his daughters that he had seen Peter. They questioned him about Peter’s appearance and asked him what sort of a looking person this brother-in-law of the Devil was.