bed by the hair every morning and drive him to work." Just now I jerked him out of bed and went out to the barn to see how the work was getting on, and when I came back he was sitting with his trousers over one leg, and so the switch had to be taken off the peg and my good old Jeppe dressed down until he became quite awake again. The only thing he is afraid of is Master Erick, (that is what I call the switch.) Hey, Jeppe, aren't you up yet, you lazy bones? Would you like to speak with Master Erik once more? Hey, Jeppe, come out!

Scene 2.

Jeppe—I must have time to put on my clothes, mustn't I? You don't want me to come out like a pig without trousers and without coat.

Nille—Haven't you had time, you wretch, to put on ten pairs of trousers since I woke you up this morning?

Jeppe (cautiously)—Have you put Master Erik away, Nille?

Nille—Yes, I have, but I know where I can find him again, if you don't get around in a hurry. Come here! See how he crawls along! Come here! You've got to go to town to buy two pounds of soft soap; here is the money. But listen! If you are not back again inside of four hours Master Erik shall dance a polka on your back.

Jeppe—How can I walk four miles in four hours?

Nille—Who says you are to walk, you rascal? You shall run! I have told you what to do once, now do as you please.

Scene 3.

Jeppe (alone)—There that sow goes in to eat breakfast, and I, poor man, must walk four miles before I can get anything to eat; can anyone have such a damned woman as I have? I really believe she is a cousin to Lucifer. Folks around here say that Jeppe drinks, but they don't say why Jeppe drinks; why, I never got so many poundings in the ten years I was in the army as I get every day from that awful woman. She pounds me, the overseer drives me to work like a beast; and the sexton pays court to my wife. Mustn't I drink, mustn't I use all the means nature has given us to drive away sorrow? If I were a fool, such things wouldn't trouble me so much, and then I wouldn't drink; but it is certain that I am a clever man, and therefore I feel such things more than others, so I must drink. My neighbor, Mo'ns Christopherson, often tells me, as he is my friend: "Confound you, Jeppe, why don't you defend yourself, then the old woman will come to her senses." But I can't strike back for three reasons. First, because I haven't any courage; second, because of that damned Master Erik hanging behind the bed, which my back cannot think of without crying; third, because I am, if I do say it myself, a good sort of soul and a good Christian, who never seeks revenge. I am so kind-hearted that I have never even wished that the old woman would die. On the contrary, when she lay sick of jaundice last year, I wished that she would live; for, as hell is already full of bad women, Lucifer would probably send her back, and then she would be still worse than before. But if the sexton died, then I would be glad, for my own sake as well as for others; since he does me only harm and is of no use to the congregation. He is an ignorant devil, for he has no voice at all for singing, nor can he cast an honest wax candle. No, then his predecessor, Christopher, was a different sort of a person. He beat twelve sextons at singing in his day, such a voice had he. One time I got into a quarrel with the deacon, while Nille was listening, and when he scolded me for being run by my wife, I said: "The devil take you, Sexton Mads." But what happened? Master Erik was taken from the wall to settle the quarrel and my back got so sore that I had to beg the sexton's pardon and thank him, mind you, that he, a learned man, would honor my house by his visits. Since that time I have never thought of making any opposition. Oh, yes, yes, Mo'ns Christopherson! You and other peasants whose wives have no Master Erik hanging behind the bed, can talk like that. If I had a single wish in the world it would be either that my wife had no arms or I no back; since she may use her tongue as much as she likes. But I'll have to stop in at Jakob Skomager's on the way. He'll give me a penny's worth of brandy on credit all right; for I must have something to quench my thirst. Hey, Jakob Skomager! Are you up yet? Open the door, Jakob!

Scene 4.

Jakob Skomager (in his shirt). Jeppe.

Jakob—Who the devil comes here so early?

Jeppe—Good morning, Jakob Skomager.

Jakob—Thank you, Jeppe! You're around pretty early to-day.

Jeppe—Give me a penny worth of brandy, Jakob.

Jakob—Very well, hand me the penny.

Jeppe—You'll get that to-morrow when I come back.

Jakob—Jakob Skomager doesn't sell whiskey on credit; you have a penny or two, I know.

Jeppe—The devil I have, Jakob! Except a few shillings my wife gave me to buy soap for in town.

Jakob—I know you can beat down the price a couple of pence; what is your purchase, Jeppe?

Jeppe—I am to buy two pounds of soft soap.

Jakob—Why, can't you say that you gave a couple pence more per pound than you paid?

Jeppe—I'm so afraid that my wife will find it out, and then bad luck to me!

Jakob—Pshaw! How'll she find that out? Can't you swear that you spent all your money? You're a dunce.

Jeppe—True enough, Jakob, that's what I can do.

Jakob—Give me the penny then.

Jeppe—There! but you must give me back a ha'penny.

Jakob (comes with a glass and drinks Jeppe's health). Your health, Jeppe!

Jeppe (looks at glass)—You drank like a fish.

Jakob—Well! Don't you know it is customary for the host to drink to the health of the guests?

Jeppe—I know; but may the devil take the one who first started that custom! Your health, Jakob!

Jakob—Thanks, Jeppe! You will have to take something for the other ha'penny, too. You can't bring it back. Or perhaps you want to have a glass of whiskey to your credit when you come back from town. For, by my faith, I haven't a single ha'penny.

Jeppe—The devil I will; if I must spend it, I'll do it now, for then I can feel that I have something in my stomach; but if you drink of it, too, I won't pay.

Jakob—Your health, Jeppe!

Jeppe—God keep our friends and the devil take all our enemies! Ah, that felt good!

Jakob—Happy journey, Jeppe!

Jeppe—Thanks, Jakob Skomager!

Scene 5.

Jeppe (alone, becomes happy and begins to sing)—

"A white hen and a speckled hen
They started to fight the cock, etc."

Ah! If only I dared to drink another penny's worth! Ah! if I only dared to drink just one more penny's worth! I believe I'll do it. No, I will be sorry if I do. Could I only get away from the inn then there would be no trouble, but there seems to be some one that holds me back. I must go in again. But what are you doing, Jeppe? I seem to see Nille standing before me with Master Erik in her hand. I must turn back. Ah! if I only dared drink one more penny's worth! My stomach says, you shall; my back, you shall not; which shall I then obey? Is not my stomach more important than my back? I say yes. Shall I knock? Hey! Jakob Skomager, come out!—but that damned woman comes to my mind again! If only she would strike so my back didn't hurt so bad, I wouldn't mind it at all; but she hits me like—Ah! God held me, poor man, what shall I do? Restrain yourself, Jeppe! Isn't it a shame that you should make yourself miserable for the