Glooscap the great chief, and other stories - ElectricCanadian.com

FAIRY TALES 197
Jack to cease his playing so that she might
stop. But all Jack would say was :
"
Will you beat me, then? Will you beat me,
then?"
"Indeed I will! Indeed I will!" his mother
kept crying. Soon she was so tired that she
could cry no longer; she could scarcely keep
on her feet, but swayed to and fro. At last she
fell and struck her head upon the floor and
then she was ready to promise not to beat Jack,
if he would only stop his playing.
But all this while the rent had not been paid.
"
One day the mother said, To-day the king
will be here. What can we do?"
"I will pay him," said Jack. "You need
think no more about it. He took some earthen
dishes and broke them until they were in small
pieces, and put them into a bag. He packed the
bag as full as it would hold, and sealed the
strings with tar.
Soon the king and two servants came to the
door. The frightened old woman ran and hid.
But Jack went to meet them, and asked them in.
Then he brought in the bag, and placed it upon
the table, making it rattle and chink like a bag
of money. Then he brought his little magic
platter and said to the king :
"My father, before he died, told me to set this
most delicious food before you, when you came
to the house."