But, as the way was so long he
couldn't get home in one day, he turned into an inn on the way; and when
they were going to sit down to supper, he laid the cloth on a table
which stood in the corner and said:
"Cloth spread yourself, and serve up all kinds of good dishes."
He had scarce said so before the cloth did as it was bid; and all who
stood by thought it a fine thing, but most of all the landlady. So,
when all were fast asleep, at dead of night, she took the lad's cloth,
and put another in its stead, just like the one he had got from the
North Wind, but which couldn't so much as serve up a bit of dry bread.
So, when the lad woke, he took his cloth and went off with it, and that
day he got home to his mother.
"Now," said he, "I've been to the North Wind's house, and a good fellow
he is, for he gave me this cloth, and when I only say to it, 'Cloth,
spread yourself, and serve up all kinds of good dishes,' I get any sort
of food I please."
"All very true, I dare say," said his mother; "but seeing is believing,
and I shan't believe it till I see it."
So the lad made haste, drew out a table, laid the cloth on it, and said:
"Cloth, spread yourself, and serve all up kinds of good dishes."
But never a bit of dry bread did the cloth serve up.
"Well," said the lad, "there's no help for it but to go to the North
Wind again;" and away he went.
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