that this bottle is better for you than all the money you will get for the cow at Cork—aye, than ten thousand times as much.”

Mick laughed again. “Why, then,” said he, “do you think I am such a fool as to give my good cow for a bottle—and an empty one, too! Indeed, then, I won’t!”

“You’d better give me the cow, and take the bottle—you’ll not be sorry for it,” said the little man.

“Why, then, what would Molly say? I’d never hear the last of it! And how should I pay the rent? And what should we do without a penny of money?”

[Pg 48]“When you go home, never mind if your wife is angry,” answered the little man, “but quiet yourself, and make her sweep the room, and set the table in the middle of the floor, and spread the best cover on it. Then put the bottle on the ground, saying these words: ‘Bottle, do your duty!’ And you will see the end of it.”

“And is this all?” said Mick.

“No more,” said the stranger, forcing the bottle into Mick’s hand. Then he moved swiftly off after the cow.

Well, Mick, rather sick at heart, retraced his steps toward his cabin, and as he went he could not help turning his head to look after the little man; but he had vanished completely.

“He can’t belong to this earth,” exclaimed Mick in horror to himself. “But where is the cow?” She, too, was gone; and Mick hurried homeward muttering prayers and holding fast the bottle.

He soon reached his cabin, and surprised his wife sitting over the turf fire in the big chimney.

“Oh! Mick, are you come back?” said she. “Sure you weren’t at Cork all the way? What has happened to you? Where is the cow? Did you