Seite 264 von 626

What is it that you will not do?' The peasant said: 'They want to

make me mayor, if I will but put myself in the barrel, but I will

not do it.' The shepherd said: 'If nothing more than that is

needful in order to be mayor, I would get into the barrel at

once.' The peasant said: 'If you will get in, you will be mayor.'

The shepherd was willing, and got in, and the peasant shut the

top down on him; then he took the shepherd's flock for himself,

and drove it away. The parson went to the crowd, and declared

that the mass had been said. Then they came and rolled the barrel

towards the water. When the barrel began to roll, the shepherd

cried: 'I am quite willing to be mayor.' They believed no

otherwise than that it was the peasant who was saying this, and

answered: 'That is what we intend, but first you shall look about

you a little down below there,' and they rolled the barrel down

into the water.