"You can amuse yourself in return for the money you have given me," said the boy, looking repeatedly at his gift; "you may take my measure as much as you like, and I will be looking at the horse meantime. Ah! you are a lucky man to have such a horse as that. How he snorts! and his eyes flash as if he were Játos[3] himself." [3] A magic horse. [3] "Boy!" said the horseman, who looked as if he were at least a vice-count—"boy, you are up to the mark so far; there is room for good measure in you, and a few pints over! But, koma [gossip], I have[Pg 16] often seen a good-looking cask full of nothing but bad, sour wine. Let us see whether you hold one full measure." [Pg 16] "One measure?" said the beggar, offended. "I shouldn't be my father's son if my wretched skin did not cover a man of a hundred measures, especially when I have had a good dinner. It's a couple of weeks now since I have had a stomachful when I lay down at night." "My little brother," said the horseman, "a fellow who is ruled by his stomach is not worth a farthing. You have lost three measures out of your cask by that foolish speech." "Ha," said the beggar boldly, "my stomach grumbles badly, and it is no joke when it goes on for long. However, it's no wonder you can't guess what it feels like to be hungry, for I daresay you are a hall-porter, or even maybe a poultry-dealer, and such people as those are always well fed." The horseman laughed. "You have got the cow's udder between its horns now, koma; but whatever and whoever I may be, I am a great man while my purse is full, and so listen to me. Do you see that castle there?" "To be sure." [Pg 17]"Have you ever been inside?" [Pg 17] "Well, to be sure, I am well off, I am! but may the Tatars catch me, if I would take my teeth in there!" "Hm!—and why?" "Why?" asked the beggar, considering; "I really can't tell you. But what should take me there? Besides—well, they say it is inhabited by demons, and that they live on Jews' flesh. The Jews are constantly going there, just as if they had been invited to dinner; but they get eaten up."
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