hadn't so much as a crumb in the house, either of meat or bread, so he
went to his brother to ask him for something to keep Christmas with, in
God's name. It was not the first time his brother had been forced to
help him, and you may fancy he wasn't very glad to see his face, but he
said:

"If you will do what I ask you to do, I'll give you a whole flitch of
bacon."

So the poor brother said he would do anything and was full of thanks.

"Well, here is the flitch," said the rich brother, "and now go straight
to Hell."

"What I have given my word to do, I must stick to," said the other; so
he took the flitch and set off. He walked the whole day, and at dusk he
came to a place where he saw a very bright light.

"Maybe this is the place," said the man to himself. So he turned aside,
and the first thing he saw was an old, old man, with a long white beard,
who stood in an outhouse, hewing wood for the Christmas fire.

"Good even," said the man with the flitch.

"The same to you; whither are you going so late?" said the man.

"Oh! I'm going to Hell, if I only knew the right way," answered the poor
man.

"Well, you're not far wrong, for this is Hell," said the old man; "when