skin, laid it in the sledge beside him, and drove back towards
home. When he had driven some miles he drew up, carried the
child to the edge of a steep precipice and threw it over,
muttering, 'There, now try to take my property!'

Very soon after this some foreign merchants travelled along that
same road on the way to see Mark and to pay the twelve thousand
crowns which they owed him.

As they were passing near the precipice they heard a sound of
crying, and on looking over they saw a little green meadow wedged
in between two great heaps of snow, and on the meadow lay a baby
amongst the flowers.

The merchants picked up the child, wrapped it up carefully, and
drove on. When they saw Mark they told him what a strange thing
they had found. Mark guessed at once that the child must be his
godson, asked to see him, and said:

'That's a nice little fellow; I should like to keep him. If you
will make him over to me, I will let you off your debt.'

The merchants were very pleased to make so good a bargain, left
the child with Mark, and drove off.

At night Mark took the child, put it in a barrel, fastened the
lid tight down, and threw it into the sea. The barrel floated
away to a great distance, and at last it floated close up to a
monastery. The monks were just spreading out their nets to dry
on the shore, when they heard the sound of crying. It seemed to