“Wonderful cloth, let those who are hungry and thirsty find here all
they want.”
Immediately there was a whistling in the air; something shone over them,
and they found before them a table set as if for a king’s feast. There
were numberless dishes, goblets full of hydromel, and glasses full of
the best wines. The things on the table were all of gold or of silver.
The idiot and his guest admired the table and commenced to eat and
drink. When they had finished eating and drinking the table vanished,
and the idiot wrapped up his cloth and began to go homewards, when the
old man said to him—
“Give me your cloth, and take this stick in its stead. When you speak to
it such-and-such words it belabours people so that they will give all
the world to escape from it.”
The idiot, thinking of his brothers, took the cudgel and gave the man
the cloth. So they parted.
Now afterwards he considered that the oak had told him to keep the cloth
himself, and that, having given it away, he would not be able to
surprise his mother as he had intended. So he said to the stick—
“Stick which beats by itself, go quickly and look for my cloth. Go, I
want it back.”
The stick went off at once in pursuit of the man and soon overtook him.
It set upon him, and commenced to beat him, crying—
“So you seek the wealth of others, do you? Take that, you knave, and
that.”
The man tried to escape, but it was no use, for the stick followed him,
thrashing on, and repeating the same words. However much he would have
liked to keep the cloth, he was obliged to throw it aside to save
himself. The stick brought the cloth to its master, and the idiot
continued his journey, thinking how he would surprise his mother and
brothers. A little further on he met a man who carried in his hand an
empty bag.
“Stop,” cried the man. “For the love of Heaven give me some pence or a
piece of bread! My bag is empty, and I am hungry and have a long way to
go.”