The students leaped down one after the other, and crowded around the
fiddler to have a look at him, for they could not see him very well on
the top of the coach; and when they discovered what a tiny manikin he
was, they began to make merry again. Judging from his voice, they had
expected to see a large, strong musician; and the sight of this child
seemed to make the fun twice as funny.

They took the little fellow up between them, and carried him with
singing and laughter into the inn. There they seated him at the table
between two gentlemen, and said that he was their guest; and they all
helped him one after the other, and put huge pieces upon his plate, for
no one would be outdone by the others in serving him; and the boy had
certainly never eaten such a dinner in all his life as he ate that day.

"Tell us where you learned your beautiful song?" asked one of three.

"Stineli made it up," replied Rico, very seriously.

The students looked at each other at these words, and burst out again
with laughter.

"So Stineli made it up, did she? Then we must drink her health over it."

Rico had to join in drinking the toast, and was nothing loath to drink
to Stineli's health.

But now the time for resting and eating was over; and while they were
all taking their places to go on their journey, a stout man came towards
Rico,--a man who had such a big stick in his hand, that it looked as if
he had torn up a young tree for his walking-stick. He was dressed in a