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。