_How Owlglass frightened an Innkeeper at Eisleben with a dead Wolf._
In the depth of winter Owlglass put up at an inn at Eisleben, where
one evening there also arrived three merchants from Saxony on their
way to Nurenberg. They related how they had been attacked by a wolf,
against which they had much difficulty in defending themselves, and
that this disagreeable adventure had considerably delayed them. The
host, who was a bragging sarcastic sort of a person, joked them much
about their adventure, declaring that it was a shame they should allow
themselves to be delayed by a miserable wolf; that, for his part, if
he were attacked by two wolves, he would soon drive them off, but here
three were frightened by one wolf. This continued all the evening
till the merchants went to bed, Owlglass in the mean time remaining
silent, but turning it over in his mind how he could best play mine
host some trick to pay him off for his bragging. The merchants and
Owlglass shared the same bed-room; and when the former discussed among
themselves how they could repay the mocking of the Innkeeper, Owlglass
said he had been thinking it over, and that if they would leave it
to him he would engage that they should hear no more about the wolf.
The merchants readily agreed, promising a handsome reward if he paid
their tormentor off well; and Owlglass then proposed that they should
continue their journey, and all meet again there on their return. Early
the next morning the merchants paid the reckoning for Owlglass, as well
as for themselves, and rode on their way, mine host calling after them
to beware lest a wolf should cross their path. Owlglass also took his
departure and went on the chase after a wolf. He succeeded in killing
one, which he left out in the cold till it was frozen quite stiff, and
when the merchants returned he put his prize in a sack, and, taking it
with him, joined them at the inn as agreed upon. The Innkeeper again
teased his guests about the wolf, talking very big of how he would
act. When the merchants went to their bed-room Owlglass joined them,
and said, "My good Friends, keep your candle burning, and do not go
to bed yet, for we will have some sport this night." Now, as soon as
all the household had gone to bed, Owlglass fetched the dead wolf,
which was hard frozen, and taking it to the kitchen placed it near the
hearth, supporting it with sticks so that it stood upright, at the same
time opening its jaws in which he put a child's shoe. Then, quietly
returning to his room, he called loudly for something to drink. When
the Innkeeper heard this he grumbled at being disturbed, and calling
up the maid told her to get some beer for his guests. The maid went to
the fire in the kitchen to light a candle, and seeing the wolf with its
jaws wide open, rushed out into the yard, thinking the brute had surely
devoured the children. Owlglass and the merchants continued to call for
drink, and the Innkeeper, thinking the maid had gone to sleep again,
called the man. He went to the fire to light a candle, and when he saw
the wolf, thought it had made away with the maid, so he too ran out
into the yard. The shouting for drink still continuing, the Innkeeper
thought the man must be asleep as well as the maid, and, grumbling
like a bear, he himself got up. As soon as he had lighted a candle he
saw the wolf with the shoe in its jaws, and running to the merchant's
room, trembling with terror, cried out, "Come and help me, my dear
Friends, for there is a frightful monster in the kitchen, which has
devoured my children, maid, and man servant." They went with him; the
girl and the man came from the yard, and the wife brought the children.
All were alive. Owlglass then went up to the wolf, which he turned over
with his foot, and it did not stir; then turning to the Innkeeper,
said, "What an arrant coward you are! It is not long ago that you
said you were ready to fight two wolves, and just now you ran away,
trembling and shouting, from a dead one." The Merchants made rare fun
of mine host, and the next morning, after paying the bill, took their
departure with Owlglass.
[Illustration: _The Frightful Monster._]