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　　Iv&aacute；nhadploughedupthewholefallow，allbutonelittlestrip。

　　Hecametofinishit。Thoughhisstomachached，theploughingmustbedone。Hefreedtheharnessropes，turnedtheplough，andbegantowork。Hedroveonefurrow，butcomingbacktheploughbegantodragasifithadcaughtinaroot。Itwastheimp，whohadtwistedhislegsroundtheploughshareandwasholdingitback。

　　’Whatastrangething！’thoughtIv&aacute；n。’Therewerenorootshereatall，andyethere’saroot。’

　　Iv&aacute；npushedhishanddeepintothefurrow，gropedabout，and，feelingsomethingsoft，seizedholdofitandpulleditout。Itwasblacklikearoot，butitwriggled。Why，itwasaliveimp！

　　’Whatanastything！’saidIv&aacute；n，andheliftedhishandtodashitagainsttheplough，buttheimpsquealedout:

　　’Don’thurtme，andI’lldoanythingyoutellmeto。’

　　’Whatcanyoudo？’

　　’Anythingyoutellmeto。’

　　Iv&aacute；nscratchedhishead。

　　’Mystomachaches，’saidhe；’canyoucurethat？’

　　’CertainlyIcan。’

　　’Wellthen，doso。’

　　Theimpwentdownintothefurrow，searchedaboutscratchedwithhisclaws，andpulledoutabunchofthreelittleroots，whichhehandedtoIv&aacute；n。

　　’Here，’sayshe，’whoeverswallowsoneofthesewillbecuredofanyillness。’

　　Iv&aacute；ntooktheroots，separatedthem，andswallowedone。Thepaininhisstomachwascuredatonce。Theimpagainbeggedtobeletoff；’Iwilljumprightintotheearth，andnevercomeback，’saidhe。

　　’Allright，’saidIv&aacute；n；’begone，andGodbewithyou！’

　　AndassoonasIv&aacute；nmentionedGod，theimpplungedintotheearthlikeastonethrownintothewater。Onlyaholewasleft。

　　Iv&aacute；nputtheothertwopiecesofrootintohiscapandwentonwithhisploughing。Heploughedthestriptotheend，turnedhisploughover，andwenthome。Heunharnessedthehorse，enteredthehut，andtherehesawhiselderbrother，SimontheSoldierandhiswife，sittingatsupper。Simon’sestatehadbeenconfiscated，hehimselfhadbarelymanagedtoescapefromprison，andhehadcomebacktoliveinhisfather’shouse。

　　SimonsawIv&aacute；n，andsaid:’Ihavecometolivewithyou。FeedmeandmywifetillIgetanotherappointment。’

　　’Allright，’saidIv&aacute；n，’youcanstaywithus。’

　　ButwhenIv&aacute；nwasabouttositdownonthebenchtheladydislikedthesmell，andsaidtoherhusband。’Icannotsupwithadirtypeasant。’

　　SoSimontheSoldiersaid，’Myladysaysyoudon’tsmellnice。You’dbettergoandeatoutside。’

　　’Allright，’saidIv&aacute；n；’anywayImustspendthenightoutside，forIhavetopasturethemare。’

　　Sohetooksomebread，andhiscoat，andwentwiththemareintothefields。

　　Havingfinishedhisworkthatnight，Simon’simpcame，asagreed，tofindIv&aacute；n’simpandhelphimtosubduethefool。Hecametothefieldandsearchedandsearched；butinsteadofhiscomradehefoundonlyahole。

　　’Clearly，’thoughthe，’someevilhasbefallenmycomrade。Imusttakehisplace。Thefieldisploughedup，sothefoolmustbetackledinthemeadow。’

　　SotheimpwenttothemeadowsandfloodedIv&aacute；n’shayfieldwithwater，whichleftthegrassallcoveredwithmud。

　　Iv&aacute；nreturnedfromthepastureatdawn，sharpenedhisscythe，andwenttomowthehayfield。Hebegantomowbuthadonlyswungthescytheonceortwicewhentheedgeturnedsothatitwouldnotcutatall，butneededresharpening。Iv&aacute；nstruggledonforawhile，andthensaid:’It’snogood。Imustgohomeandbringatooltostraightenthescythe，andI’llgetachunkofbreadatthesametime。IfIhavetospendaweekhere，Iwon’tleavetillthemowing’sdone。’

　　Theimpheardthisandthoughttohimself，’Thisfoolisatough’un；

　　Ican’tgetroundhimthisway。Imusttrysomeotherdodge。’

　　Iv&aacute；nreturned，sharpenedhisscythe，andbegantomow。Theimpcreptintothegrassandbegantocatchthescythebytheheel，sendingthepointintotheearth。Iv&aacute；nfoundtheworkveryhard，buthemowedthewholemeadow，exceptonelittlebitwhichwasintheswamp。Theimpcreptintotheswampand，thoughthetohimself，’ThoughIcutmypawsIwillnotlethimmow。’

　　Iv&aacute；nreachedtheswamp。Thegrassdidn’tseemthick，butyetitresistedthescythe。Iv&aacute；ngrewangryandbegantoswingthescythewithallhismight。Theimphadtogivein；hecouldnotkeepupwiththescythe，and，seeingitwasabadbusiness，hescrambledintoabush。Iv&aacute；nswungthescythe，caughtthebush，andcutoffhalftheimp’stail。Thenhefinishedmowingthegrass，toldhissistertorakeitup，andwenthimselftomowtherye。Hewentwiththescythe，butthedock-tailedimpwastherefirst，andentangledtheryesothatthescythewasofnouse。ButIv&aacute；nwenthomeandgothissickle，andbegantoreapwiththatandhereapedthewholeoftherye。

　　’Nowit’stime，’saidhe，’tostartontheoats。’

　　Thedock-tailedimpheardthis，andthought，’Icouldn’tgetthebetterofhimontherye，butIshallontheoats。Onlywaittillthemorning。’

　　Inthemorningtheimphurriedtotheoatfield，buttheoatswerealreadymoweddown！Iv&aacute；nhadmowedthembynight，inorderthatlessgrainshouldshakeout。Theimpgrewangry。

　　’Hehascutmealloverandtiredmeout——thefool。Itisworsethanwar。Theaccursedfoolneversleeps；onecan’tkeepupwithhim。Iwillgetintohisstacksnowandrotthem。’

　　Sotheimpenteredtherye，andcreptamongthesheaves，andtheybegantorot。Heheatedthem，grewwarmhimself，andfellasleep。

　　Iv&aacute；nharnessedthemare，andwentwiththelasstocarttherye。

　　Hecametotheheaps，andbegantopitchtheryeintothecart。

　　Hetossedtwosheavesandagainthrusthisfork——rightintotheimp’sback。Heliftstheforkandseesontheprongsaliveimp；

　　dock-tailed，struggling，wriggling，andtryingtojump。

　　’What，younastything，areyouhereagain？’

　　’I’manother，’saidtheimp。’Thefirstwasmybrother。I’vebeenwithyourbrotherSimon。’

　　’Well，’saidIv&aacute；n，whoeveryouare，you’vemetthesamefate！’

　　Hewasabouttodashhimagainstthecart，buttheimpcriedout:’Letmeoff，andIwillnotonlyletyoualone，butI’lldoanythingyoutellmetodo。’

　　’Whatcanyoudo？’

　　’Icanmakesoldiersoutofanythingyoulike。’

　　’Butwhatusearethey？’

　　’Youcanturnthemtoanyuse；theycandoanythingyouplease。’

　　’Cantheysing？’

　　’Yes，ifyouwantthemto。’

　　’Allright；youmaymakemesome。’

　　Andtheimpsaid，’Here，takeasheafofrye，thenbumpituprightontheground，andsimplysay:

　　’Osheaf！myslaveThisordergave:

　　WhereastrawhasbeenLetasoldierbeseen！’

　　Iv&aacute；ntookthesheaf，struckitontheground，andsaidwhattheimphadtoldhimto。Thesheaffellasunder，andallthestrawschangedintosoldiers，withatrumpeterandadrummerplayinginfront，sothattherewasawholeregiment。

　　Iv&aacute；nlaughed。

　　’Howclever！’saidhe。’Thisisfine！Howpleasedthegirlswillbe！’

　　’Nowletmego，’saidtheimp。

　　’No，’saidIv&aacute；n，’Imustmakemysoldiersofthrashedstraw，otherwisegoodgrainwillbewasted。Teachmehowtochangethembackagainintothesheaf。Iwanttothrashit。’

　　Andtheimpsaid，’Repeat:

　　’LeteachbeastrawWhowassoldierbefore，FormytrueslaveThisordergave！“’

　　Iv&aacute；nsaidthis，andthesheafreappeared。

　　Againtheimpbegantobeg，’Nowletmego！

　　’Allright。’AndIv&aacute；npressedhimagainstthesideofthecart，heldhimdownwithhishand，andpulledhimoffthefork。

　　’Godbewithyou，’saidhe。

　　AndassoonashementionedGod，theimpplungedintotheearthlikeastoneintowater。Onlyaholewasleft。