knock at his gate did he open his hand or heart in charity.

One day a very diminutive man, dressed in brown clothes, with skin of
the same color, knocked at the door of the mill and asked for a little
fine meal. The miller looked black, and bade him be gone.

"I ask only for a little, a very little; you see my bag will not hold
more than a handful or two."

More angry as the brown man continued his entreaty, the miller replied--

"I will not give you one atom."

"Do have a little pity," implored the little man; "I _must_ have some
meal, and I _must_ have it as a gift, or I would pay for it a
thousand-fold."

The iron-hearted miller became furious, notwithstanding the little man's
earnest begging, and he loosed the great dog, and sent him to drive him
away.

As the little man was passing the tall garden-hedge, Tony slipped out at
the back-door, and crept softly to the hedge, saying--

"Wait a minute, and give me your bag."

The little man gave him the bag, and Tony ran to the store-room, where
there were several sacks, and filled the man's bag with the finest and
best meal he could find. The man received it with joy, and thanked Tony
heartily for his kindness, and said to him, "If you are ever in