There was once a king whose name was Sligo. He was noted both for his
riches and his kind heart. One evening, as he sat by his fireside, a
coal fell out on the hearth. The king took up the tongs, intending to
put it back on the fire, but the coal said:--
"If you will spare my life, and do as I tell you, I will save your
treasure three times, and tell you the name of the thief who steals it."
These words gave the king great joy, for much treasure had been stolen
from him of late, and none of his officers could discover the culprit.
So he set the coal on the table, and said:--
"Pretty little black and red bird, tell me, what shall I do?"
"Put me in your waistcoat-pocket," said the coal, "and take no more
thought for to-night."
Accordingly the king put the coal in his pocket, and then, as he sat
before the warm fire, he grew drowsy, and presently fell fast asleep.
When he had been asleep some time, the door opened, very softly,
and the High Cellarer peeped cautiously in. This was the one of the
king's officers who had been most eager in searching for the thief.
He now crept softly, softly, toward the king, and seeing that he was
fast asleep, put his hand into his waistcoat-pocket; for in that
waistcoat-pocket King Sligo kept the key of his treasure-chamber,
and the High Cellarer was the thief. He put his hand into the
waistcoat-pocket. S-s-s-s-s! the coal burned it so frightfully that he
gave a loud shriek, and fell on his knees on the hearth.
"What is the matter?" cried the king, waking with a start.
"Alas! your Majesty," said the High Cellarer, thrusting his burnt
fingers into his bosom, that the king might not see them. "You were
just on the point of falling forward into the fire, and I cried out,
partly from fright and partly to waken you."
The king thanked the High Cellarer, and gave him a ruby ring as a
reward. But when he was in his chamber, and making ready for bed, the
coal said to him:--
"Once already have I saved your treasure, and to-night I shall save
it again. Only put me on the table beside your bed, and you may sleep
with a quiet heart."
So the king put the coal on the table, and himself into the bed, and
was soon sound asleep. At midnight the door of the chamber opened very
softly, and the High Cellarer peeped in again. He knew that at night
King Sligo kept the key under his pillow, and he was coming to get it.
He crept softly, softly, toward the bed, but as he drew near it, the
coal cried out:--
"One eye sleeps, but the other eye wakes! one eye sleeps, but the
other eye wakes! Who is this comes creeping, while honest men are
sleeping?"
The High Cellarer looked about him in affright, and saw the coal
burning fiery red in the darkness, and looking for all the world like
a great flaming eye. In an agony of fear he fled from the chamber,
crying,--
"Black and red! black and red!
The king has a devil to guard his bed."
And he spent the rest of the night shivering in the farthest garret he
could find.