AndashesatintheboatandwasrowedtotheshiphecouldhearthethreevoicesofthehermitsloudlyrepeatingtheLord’sprayer。Astheboatdrewnearthevesseltheirvoicescouldnolongerbeheard，buttheycouldstillbeseeninthemoonlight，standingashehadleftthemontheshore，theshortestinthemiddle，thetallestontheright，themiddleoneontheleft。AssoonastheBishophadreachedthevesselandgotonboard，theanchorwasweighedandthesailsunfurled。Thewindfilledthem，andtheshipsailedaway，andtheBishoptookaseatinthesternandwatchedtheislandtheyhadleft。Foratimehecouldstillseethehermits，butpresentlytheydisappearedfromsight，thoughtheislandwasstillvisible。Atlastittoovanished，andonlytheseawastobeseen，ripplinginthemoonlight。
Thepilgrimslaydowntosleep，andallwasquietondeck。TheBishopdidnotwishtosleep，butsataloneatthestern，gazingattheseawheretheislandwasnolongervisible，andthinkingofthegoodoldmen。HethoughthowpleasedtheyhadbeentolearntheLord’sprayer；andhethankedGodforhavingsenthimtoteachandhelpsuchgodlymen。
SotheBishopsat，thinking，andgazingattheseawheretheislandhaddisappeared。Andthemoonlightflickeredbeforehiseyes，sparkling，nowhere，nowthere，uponthewaves。Suddenlyhesawsomethingwhiteandshining，onthebrightpathwhichthemooncastacrossthesea。Wasitaseagull，orthelittlegleamingsailofsomesmallboat？TheBishopfixedhiseyesonit，wondering。
’Itmustbeaboatsailingafterus，’thoughthe’butitisovertakingusveryrapidly。Itwasfar，farawayaminuteago，butnowitismuchnearer。Itcannotbeaboat，forIcanseenosail；butwhateveritmaybe，itisfollowingus，andcatchingusup。’
Andhecouldnotmakeoutwhatitwas。Notaboat，norabird，norafish！Itwastoolargeforaman，andbesidesamancouldnotbeoutthereinthemidstofthesea。TheBishoprose，andsaidtothehelmsman:
’Lookthere，whatisthat，myfriend？Whatisit？’theBishoprepeated，thoughhecouldnowseeplainlywhatitwas——thethreehermitsrunninguponthewater，allgleamingwhite，theirgreybeardsshining，andapproachingtheshipasquicklyasthoughitwerenotmorning。
Thesteersmanlookedandletgothehelminterror。
’OhLord！Thehermitsarerunningafterusonthewaterasthoughitweredryland！’
Thepassengershearinghim，jumpedup，andcrowdedtothestern。Theysawthehermitscomingalonghandinhand，andthetwoouteronesbeckoningtheshiptostop。Allthreewereglidingalonguponthewaterwithoutmovingtheirfeet。Beforetheshipcouldbestopped，thehermitshadreachedit，andraisingtheirheads，allthreeaswithonevoice，begantosay:
’Wehaveforgottenyourteaching，servantofGod。Aslongaswekeptrepeatingitweremembered，butwhenwestoppedsayingitforatime，aworddroppedout，andnowithasallgonetopieces。
Wecanremembernothingofit。Teachusagain。’
TheBishopcrossedhimself，andleaningovertheship’sside，said:
’YourownprayerwillreachtheLord，menofGod。Itisnotformetoteachyou。Prayforussinners。
AndtheBishopbowedlowbeforetheoldmen；andtheyturnedandwentbackacrossthesea。Andalightshoneuntildaybreakonthespotwheretheywerelosttosight。
APOORpeasantsetoutearlyonemorningtoplough，takingwithhimforhisbreakfastacrustofbread。Hegothisploughready，wrappedthebreadinhiscoat，putitunderabush，andsettowork。
Afterawhilewhenhishorsewastiredandhewashungry，thepeasantfixedtheplough，letthehorseloosetograzeandwenttogethiscoatandhisbreakfastHeliftedthecoat，butthebreadwasgone！Helookedandlooked，turnedthecoatover，shookitout——butthebreadwasgone。
Thepeasantcouldnotmakethisoutatall。
’That’sstrange，’thoughthe；’Isawnoone，butallthesamesomeonehasbeenhereandhastakenthebread！’
Itwasanimpwhohadstolenthebreadwhilethepeasantwasploughing，andatthatmomenthewassittingbehindthebush，waitingtohearthepeasantswearandcallontheDevil。
Thepeasantwassorrytolosehisbreakfast，but’Itcan’tbehelped，’
saidhe。’Afterall，Ishan’tdieofhunger！Nodoubtwhoevertookthebreadneededit。Mayitdohimgood！’
Andhewenttothewell，hadadrinkofwater，andrestedabit。Thenhecaughthishorse，harnessedit，andbeganploughingagain。
Theimpwascrestfallenatnothavingmadethepeasantsin，andhewenttoreportwhathadhappenedtotheDevil，hismaster。
HecametotheDevilandtoldhowhehadtakenthepeasant’sbread，andhowthepeasantinsteadofcursinghadsaid，’Mayitdohimgood！’
TheDevilwasangry，andreplied:’Ifthemangotthebetterofyou，itwasyourownfault——youdon’tunderstandyourbusiness！Ifthepeasants，andtheirwivesafterthem，taketothatsortofthing，itwillbeallupwithus。Themattercan’tbeleftlikethat！Gobackatonce，’saidhe，’andputthingsright。Ifinthreeyearsyoudon’tgetthebetterofthatpeasant，I’llhaveyouduckedinholywater！’
Theimpwasfrightened。Hescamperedbacktoearth，thinkinghowhecouldredeemhisfault。Hethoughtandthought，andatlasthituponagoodplan。
Heturnedhimselfintoalabouringman，andwentandtookservicewiththepoorpeasant。Thefirstyearheadvisedthepeasanttosowcorninamarshyplace。Thepeasanttookhisadvice，andsowedinthemarsh。Theyearturnedoutaverydryone，andthecropsoftheotherpeasantswereallscorchedbythesun，butthepoorpeasant’scorngrewthickandtallandfull-eared。Notonlyhadhegrainenoughtolasthimforthewholeyear，buthehadmuchleftoverbesides。
Thenextyeartheimpadvisedthepeasanttosowonthehill；anditturnedoutawetsummer。Otherpeople’scornwasbeatendownandrottedandtheearsdidnotfill；butthepeasant’scrop，uponthehill，wasafineone。Hehadmoregrainleftoverthanbefore，sothathedidnotknowwhattodowithitall。
Thentheimpshowedthepeasanthowhecouldmashthegrainanddistilspiritfromit；andthepeasantmadestrongdrink，andbegantodrinkithimselfandtogiveittohisfriends。
SotheimpwenttotheDevil，hismaster，andboastedthathehadmadeupforhisfailure。TheDevilsaidthathewouldcomeandseeforhimselfhowthecasestood。
Hecametothepeasant’shouse，andsawthatthepeasanthadinvitedhiswell-to-doneighboursandwastreatingthemtodrink。
Hiswifewasofferingthedrinktotheguests，andasshehandeditroundshetumbledagainstthetableandspiltaglassful。
Thepeasantwasangry，andscoldedhiswife:’Whatdoyoumean，youslut？Doyouthinkit’sditchwater，youcripple，thatyoumustgopouringgoodstufflikethatoverthefloor？’
TheimpnudgedtheDevil，hismaster，withhiselbow:’See，’saidhe，’that’sthemanwhodidnotgrudgehislastcrust！’
Thepeasant，stillrailingathiswife，begantocarrythedrinkroundhimself。Justthenapoorpeasantreturningfromworkcameinuninvited。Hegreetedthecompany，satdown，andsawthattheyweredrinking。Tiredwithhisday’sworkhefeltthathetoowouldlikeadrop。Hesatandsat，andhismouthkeptwatering，butthehostinsteadofofferinghimanyonlymuttered:’Ican’tfinddrinkforeveryonewhocomesalong。’
ThispleasedtheDevil；buttheimpchuckledandsaid，’Waitabit，there’smoretocomeyet！’
Therichpeasantsdrank，andtheirhostdranktoo。Andtheybegantomakefalse，oilyspeechestooneanother。
TheDevillistenedandlistened，andpraisedtheimp。
’If，’saidhe，’thedrinkmakesthemsofoxythattheybegintocheateachother，theywillsoonallbeinourhands。’
’Waitforwhat’scoming，’saidtheimp。’Letthemhaveanotherglassallround。Nowtheyarelikefoxes，waggingtheirtailsandtryingtogetroundoneanother；butpresentlyyouwillseethemlikesavagewolves。’
Thepeasantshadanotherglasseach，andtheirtalkbecamewilderandrougher。Insteadofoilyspeechestheybegantoabuseandsnarlatoneanother。Soontheytooktofighting，andpunchedoneanother’snoses。Andthehostjoinedinthefight，andhetoogotwellbeaten。
TheDevillookedonandwasmuchpleasedatallthis。’Thisisfirst-rate！’
saidhe。
Buttheimpreplied:’Waitabit——thebestisyettocome。Waittilltheyhavehadathirdglass。Nowtheyareraginglikewolves，butletthemhaveonemoreglass，andtheywillbelikeswine。’
Thepeasantshadtheirthirdglass，andbecamequitelikebrutes。Theymutteredandshouted，notknowingwhy，andnotlisteningtooneanother。
Thenthepartybegantobreakup。Somewentalone，someintwos，andsomeinthrees，allstaggeringdownthestreet。Thehostwentouttospeedhisguests，buthefellonhisnoseintoapuddle，smearedhimselffromtoptotoe，andlaytheregruntinglikeahog。
ThispleasedtheDevilstillmore。
’Well，’saidhe，’youhavehitonafirst-ratedrink，andhavequitemadeupforyourblunderaboutthebread。Butnowtellmehowthisdrinkismade。Youmustfirsthaveputinfox’sblood:thatwaswhatmadethepeasantsslyasfoxes。Then，Isuppose，youaddedwolf’sblood:thatiswhatmadethemfiercelikewolves。Andyoumusthavefinishedoffwithswine’sblood，tomakethembehavelikeswine。’
’No，’saidtheimp，’thatwasnotthewayIdidit。AllIdidwastoseethatthepeasanthadmorecornthanheneeded。Thebloodofthebeastsisalwaysinman；butaslongashehasonlyenoughcornforhisneeds，itiskeptinbounds。Whilethatwasthecase，thepeasantdidnotgrudgehislastcrust。Butwhenhehadcornleftover，helookedforwaysofgettingpleasureoutofit。AndI
showedhimapleasure——drinking！AndwhenhebegantoturnGod’sgoodgiftsintospiritsforhisownpleasure——thefox’s，wolf’sandswine’sbloodinhimallcameout。Ifonlyhegoesondrinking，hewillalwaysbeabeast！’
TheDevilpraisedtheimp，forgavehimforhisformerblunder，andadvancedhimtoapostofhighhonour。
