Atondido Stories
"Go back to him," his wife insisted, "and tell him again that
his godchildren are hungry. I don't think he understood you."
So the poor little shoemaker returned to the rich man. He cleared
his throat apologetically and stammered:
"Dear Godfather, you—you don't want your poor godchil-
dren to go hungry, do you? Give me just one small piece of
meat—that's all I ask."
In a rage, the rich man picked up a hunk of meat and threw it
at his poor friend.
"There!" he shouted. "And now go to hell, you and the meat
with you, and tell the Devil I sent you."
The shoemaker picked up the piece of meat. It was all fat and
gristle.
"No use carrying this home," he thought to himself. "I think I
better do as Godfather says. Yes, I'll go to hell and give it to the
Devil."
So he tramped down to hell and presented himself at the
gate. The little devil who stood on guard greeted him merrily.
"Hello, shoemaker! What do you want here?"
"I have a present for the Devil, a piece of meat that Godfather
gave me."
The little devil of a guard nodded his head understandingly.
"I see, I see. Very well then, come with me and I'll lead you to
Prince Lucifer. But I'll give you a bit of advice first. When the
Prince asks you what present you'd like in return, tell him you'd
like the tablecloth off his own table."
The little devil of a guard then conducted the shoemaker into
Prince Lucifer's presence and the Prince received him with every
mark of consideration. The shoemaker told him what Godfather
had said and presented him the hunk of meat. Lucifer received it
386