Ivá；nreturnedhome，andtherewashisotherbrother，Tará；swithhiswife，sittingatsupper。
　　TarastheStouthadfailedtopayhisdebts，hadrunawayfromhiscreditors，andhadcomehometohisfather’shouse。WhenhesawIvá；n，’Lookhere’，saidhe，’tillIcanstartinbusinessagain，Iwantyoutokeepmeandmywife。’
　　’Allright，’saidIvá；n，’youcanlivehere，ifyoulike。’
　　Ivá；ntookoffhiscoatandsatdowntotable，butthemerchant’swifesaid:’Icannotsitattablewiththisclown，hesmellsofperspiration。’
　　ThenTará；stheStoutsaid，’Ivá；n，yousmelltoostrong。
　　Goandeatoutside。’
　　’Allright，’saidIvá；n，takingsomebreadandgoingintotheyard。’Itistime，anyhow，formetogoandpasturethemare。’
　　Tará；s’simp，beingalsofreethatnight，came，asagreed，tohelphiscomradessubdueIvá；ntheFool。Hecametothecornfield，lookedandlookedforhiscomrades——noonewasthere。Heonlyfoundahole。Hewenttothemeadow，andtherehefoundanimp’stailintheswamp，andanotherholeintheryestubble。
　　’Evidently，someill-luckhasbefallenmycomrades，’thoughthe。’I
　　musttaketheirplaceandtacklethefool。’
　　SotheimpwenttolookforIvá；n，whohadalreadystackedthecornandwascuttingtreesinthewood。Thetwobrothershadbeguntofeelcrowded，livingtogether，andhadtoldIvá；ntocutdowntreestobuildnewhousesforthem。
　　Theimprantothewood，climbedamongthebranches，andbegantohinderIvá；nfromfellingthetrees。Ivá；nundercutonetreesothatitshouldfallclear，butinfallingitturnedaskewandcaughtamongsomebranches。Ivá；ncutapolewithwhichtoleveritaside，andwithdifficultycontrivedtobringittotheground。Hesettoworktofellanothertree——againthesamethingoccurred；andwithallhiseffortshecouldhardlygetthetreeclear。Hebeganonathirdtree，andagainthesamethinghappened。
　　Ivá；nhadhopedtocutdownhalfahundredsmalltrees，buthadnotfelledevenhalfascore，andnowthenightwascomeandhewastiredout。Thesteamfromhimspreadlikeamistthroughthewood，butstillhestucktohiswork。Heundercutanothertree，buthisbackbegantoachesothathecouldnotstand。Hedrovehisaxeintothetreeandsatdowntorest。
　　Theimp，noticingthatIvá；nhadstoppedwork，grewcheerful。
　　’Atlast，’thoughthe，’heistiredout！Hewillgiveitup。NowIcantakearestmyself。’
　　Heseatedhimselfastrideabranchandchuckled。ButsoonIvá；ngotup，pulledtheaxeout，swungitandsmotethetreefromtheoppositesidewithsuchforcethatthetreegavewayatonceandcamecrashingdown。Theimphadnotexpectedthis，andhadnotimetogethisfeetclear，andthetreeinbreaking，grippedhispaw。
　　Ivá；nbegantolopoffthebranches，whenhenoticedaliveimphanginginthetree！Ivá；nwassurprised。
　　’What，younastything，’sayshe，’soyouarehereagain！’
　　’Iamanotherone，’saystheimp。’IhavebeenwithyourbrotherTará；s。’
　　’Whoeveryouareyouhavemetyourfate，’saidIvá；n，andswinginghisaxehewasabouttostrikehimwiththehaft，buttheimpbeggedformercy:’Don’tstrikeme，’saidhe，’andIwilldoanythingyoutellmeto。’
　　’Whatcanyoudo？’
　　’Icanmakemoneyforyou，asmuchasyouwant。’
　　’Allright，makesome。’Sotheimpshowedhimhowtodoit。
　　’Take，’saidhe，’someleavesfromthisoakandrubtheminyourhands，andgoldwillfalloutontheground。’
　　Ivá；ntooksomeleavesandrubbedthem，andgoldrandownfromhishands。
　　’Thisstuffwilldofine，’saidhe，’forthefellowstoplaywithontheirholidays。’
　　’Nowletmego。’saidtheimp。
　　’Allright，’saidIvá；n，andtakingaleverhesettheimpfree。
　　’Nowbegone！AndGodbewithyou，’sayshe。
　　AndassoonashementionedGod，theimpplungedintotheearth，likeastoneintowater。Onlyaholewasleft。
　　Sothebrothersbuilthouses，andbegantoliveapart；andIvá；nfinishedtheharvestwork，brewedbeer，andinvitedhisbrotherstospendthenextholidaywithhim。Hisbrotherswouldnotcome。
　　’Wedon’tcareaboutpeasantfeasts，’saidthey。
　　SoIvá；nentertainedthepeasantsandtheirwives，anddrankuntilhewasrathertipsy。Thenhewentintothestreettoaringofdancers；andgoinguptothemhetoldthewomentosingasonginhishonour；’for，’saidhe，’Iwillgiveyousomethingyouneversawinyourlivesbefore！’
　　Thewomenlaughedandsanghispraises，andwhentheyhadfinishedtheysaid，’Nowletushaveyourgift。’
　　’Iwillbringitdirectly，’saidhe。
　　Hetookaseed-basketandranintothewoods。Thewomenlaughed。’Heisafool！’saidthey，andtheybegantotalkofsomethingelse。
　　ButsoonIvá；ncamerunningback，carryingthebasketfullofsomethingheavy。
　　’ShallIgiveityou？’
　　’Yes！giveittous。’
　　Ivá；ntookahandfulofgoldandthrewittothewomen。Youshouldhaveseenthemthrowthemselvesuponittopickitup！Andthemenaroundscrambledforit，andsnatcheditfromoneanother。Oneoldwomanwasnearlycrushedtodeath。Ivá；nlaughed。
　　’Oh，youfools！’sayshe。’Whydidyoucrushtheoldgrandmother？Bequiet，andIwillgiveyousomemore，’andhethrewthemsomemore。Thepeopleallcrowdedround，andIvá；nthrewthemallthegoldhehad。Theyaskedformore，butIvá；nsaid，’Ihavenomorejustnow。AnothertimeI’llgiveyousomemore。Nowletusdance，andyoucansingmeyoursongs。’
　　Thewomenbegantosing。
　　’Yoursongsarenogood，’sayshe。
　　’Wherewillyoufindbetterones？’saythey。
　　’I’llsoonshowyou，’sayshe。
　　Hewenttothebarn，tookasheaf，thrashedit，stooditup，andbumpeditontheground。
　　’Now，’saidhe:
　　’Osheaf！myslaveThisordergave:
　　WhereastrawhasbeenLetasoldierbeseen！’
　　Andthesheaffellasunderandbecamesomanysoldiers。Thedrumsandtrumpetsbegantoplay。Ivá；norderedthesoldierstoplayandsing。Heledthemoutintothestreet，andthepeoplewereamazed，Thesoldiersplayedandsang，andthenIvá；nforbiddinganyonetofollowhimledthembacktothethrashingground，changedthemintoasheafagain，andthrewitinitsplace。
　　Hethenwenthomeandlaydowninthestablestosleep。
　　SimontheSoldierheardofallthesethingsnextmorning，andwenttohisbrother。
　　’Tellme，’sayshe，’whereyougotthosesoldiersfrom，andwhereyouhavetakenthemto？’
　　’Whatdoesitmattertoyou？’saidIvá；n。
　　’Whatdoesitmatter？Why，withsoldiersonecandoanything。Onecanwinakingdom。’
　　Ivá；nwondered。
　　’Really！’saidhe；’Whydidn’tyousaysobefore？I’llmakeyouasmanyasyoulike。It’swellthelassandIhavethrashedsomuchstraw。’
　　Ivá；ntookhisbrothertothebarnandsaid:
　　’Lookhere；ifImakeyousomesoldiers，youmusttakethemawayatonce，forifwehavetofeedthem，theywilleatupthewholevillageinaday。’
　　SimontheSoldierpromisedtoleadthesoldiersaway；andIvá；nbegantomakethem。Hebumpedasheafonthethrashingfloor——
　　acompanyappeared。Hebumpedanothersheaf，andtherewasasecondcompany。Hemadesomanythattheycoveredthefield。
　　’Willthatdo？’heasked。
　　Simonwasoverjoyed，andsaid:’Thatwilldo！Thankyou，Ivá；n！’