Northern mythology

260 XETHERLAXDISH TRADITIONS.
''
A bullet from you ? one must be a pretty good shot to
hit me at three paces^ and you are but a bungler/^ " You ^11
not say that twice/^ cried the fowler, choking with anger,
then levelled his piece and fired. The stranger continued
laughing, and said, offering him the bullet "
: There, take
your bullet back, it ^s of no use." The fowler now felt
somewhat alarmed, but was soon relieved by the other
saying "
: Let me have a shot. Do you see that sparrow
sitting on the church steeple yonder ? I ^11 bring it down
for you." "Do if you can," said the fowler laughing,
and at the same instant the report was heard and the
sparrow fell. " You shall shoot so too," continued the
stranger, " and hit whatever you wish, without even seeing
it ; and if you see it, let it be as far off as it will, you
shall hit it, if you will only give me your signature and
make an engagement with me for seven years. I merely
require your soul." " Done," said the fowler, " I agree ;
but on condition that you always tell me what I shoot at."
" Granted," said the stranger. The man then signed his
name on a paper with his blood, and the devil disappeared.
For seven years the fowler shot so that it was wonderful
to see, and received from his master a stipend such as
no fowler in the whole world had ever received. But when
the last day but one had arrived, he was very sad, knowing
that the devil would come for him on the following
morning. His wife observing his affliction, inquired the
cause, and, after some hesitation, he told her how he had
entered into a compact with the devil, under the condition
that the fiend should always tell him what he was shooting
at, when the game was somewhat distant. " Then I
can help you, my dear man/^ said the wife laughing;
" only go out boldly with your gun, but be careful to shoot
at nothing without first asking what it is." The fowler
went out, and no sooner was he away than the wife stript