Once upon a time there was an old maid-servant on a farm. She was a score or two years old, but she wanted to get married, though nobody would even touch her. She never missed a dance; she was sure to turn up at every one of them, though nobody ever asked her to dance. So at last she said:

“I’d dance with Old Nick if only he’d come.”

The clock struck eleven and a youth clothed in green entered the room. He went straight up to our Kitty and began to dance with her. All the girls couldn’t keep from laughing, but they daren’t laugh openly. So they held their aprons over their faces. Kitty was very angry, but she kept on dancing like the wind. She thought: “Let the fools laugh; they’d be glad enough to dance with the lad themselves.”

It was hard upon twelve now, and Old Nick—for Old Nick it was—had to start [180]for home. But Kitty wouldn’t let him go. What was he to do with her? He was absolutely at a loss what to do, for she was clinging on to him behind.

He went to the pond, thinking he’d be able to throw her in. He tried to do it, but she clasped him round the neck and he couldn’t manage it. So off he went to Hell with her. But the people of Hell made an outcry against her and wouldn’t let her stay at any price.

“Hang it all!” says Old Nick, “I can’t go all round the world with her.”

At last he met a shepherd: “I say, shepherd,” says he, “would you like this maiden here?”

“A nice maiden that is, the ugly old spinst............