"Zounds, there he sits!" cried a third, and pointed toward a
sleeping object which leaned its head upon a large wooden chest
before a closed booth.

"He is happy!" said the first speaker. "If we had only the strong
Icelander here, he would soon hang him up by his bandelier upon one
of the iron hooks. He has done that before now; he has the strength
of a bear. He seized such a lazy fellow as this right daintily by
his girdle on one of the hooks at the weighing-booth. There hung
the watchman and whistled to the others; the first who hastened to
the spot was immediately hung up beside him, and away ran the
Icelander whilst the two blew a duet."

"Here, take hold!" cried one of the merry brothers, quickly opening
the chest, the lid of which was fastened by a peg. "Let us put the
watchman into the chest; he sleeps indeed like a horse!" In a
moment, the four had seized the sleeper, who certainly awoke during
the operation, but he already lay in the chest. The lid flew down,
and two or three of the friends sprang upon it whilst the peg was
stuck in again. The watchman immediately seized his whistle and
drew the most heart-rending tones from it. Quickly the tormenting
spirits withdrew themselves; yet not so far but that they could
still hear the whistle and observe what would take place.

The watchmen now came up.

"The deuce! where art thou?" cried they, and then discovered the
place.