Their smiling enraged John above all, and he ran
back to where he had laid the casket with the toad, under a bush.
He was hardly come within a hundred paces of them when they all fell
to the ground as if struck with a thunderbolt, and began to howl and
whimper, and to writhe, as if suffering the most excruciating pain.
They stretched out their hands, and cried, "Have mercy! have mercy! we
feel you have a toad, and there is no escape for us. Take the odious
beast away, and we will do all you require." He let them kick a few
seconds longer, and then took the toad away. They then stood up and
felt no more pain. John let all depart but the six chief persons, to
whom he said,--
"This night, between twelve and one, Elizabeth and I will depart. Load
then for me three waggons, with gold, and silver, and precious stones.
I might, you know, take all that is in the hill, and you deserve it,
but I will be merciful. Farther, you must put all the furniture of my
chamber in two waggons, and get ready for me the handsomest
travelling-carriage that is in the hill with six black horses.
Moreover, you must set at liberty all the servants who have been so
long here that on earth they would be twenty years old and upwards,
and you must give them as much silver and gold as will make them rich
for life, and make a law that no one shall be detained here longer
than his twentieth year.
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