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　　Havingdonewiththetwobrothers，theoldDevilwenttoIv&aacute；n。

　　HechangedhimselfintoaGeneral，andcomingtoIv&aacute；nbegantopersuadehimthatheoughttohaveanarmy。

　　’Itdoesnotbecomeaking，’saidhe，’tobewithoutanarmy。Onlygivemetheorder，andIwillcollectsoldiersfromamongyourpeople，andformone。’

　　Iv&aacute；nlistenedtohim。’Allright，’saidIv&aacute；n，’formanarmy，andteachthemtosingsongswell。Iliketohearthemdothat。’

　　SotheoldDevilwentthroughIvan’skingdomtoenlistmen。Hetoldthemtogoandbeenteredassoldiers，andeachshouldhaveaquartofspiritsandafineredcap。

　　Thepeoplelaughed。

　　’Wehaveplentyofspirits，’saidthey。’Wemakeitourselves；andasforcaps，thewomenmakeallkindsofthem，evenstripedoneswithtassels。’

　　Sonobodywouldenlist。

　　TheoldDevilcametoIv&aacute；nandsaid:’Yourfoolswon’tenlistoftheirownfreewill。Weshallhavetomakethem。’

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

　　SotheoldDevilgavenoticethatallthepeopleweretoenlist，andthatIv&aacute；nwouldputtodeathanyonewhorefused。

　　ThepeoplecametotheGeneralandsaid，’YousaythatifwedonotgoassoldierstheKingwillputustodeath，butyoudon’tsaywhatwillhappenifwedoenlist。Wehaveheardsaythatsoldiersgetkilled！’

　　’Yes，thathappenssometimes。’

　　Whenthepeopleheardthistheybecameobstinate。

　　’Wewon’tgo，’saidthey。’Bettermeetdeathathome。Eitherwaywemustdie。’

　　’Fools！Youarefools！’saidtheoldDevil。’Asoldiermaybekilledorhemaynot，butifyoudon’tgo，KingIv&aacute；nwillhaveyoukilledforcertain。’

　　Thepeoplewerepuzzled，andwenttoIv&aacute；ntheFooltoconsulthim。

　　’AGeneralhascome，’saidthey，’whosayswemustallbecomesoldiers。

　　“Ifyougoassoldiers，“sayshe“youmaybekilledoryoumaynot，butifyoudon’tgo，KingIv&aacute；nwillcertainlykillyou。“Isthistrue？’

　　Iv&aacute；nlaughedandsaid，’HowcanI，alone，putallyoutodeath？

　　IfIwerenotafoolIwouldexplainittoyoubutasitis，Idon’tunderstanditmyself。’

　　’Then’saidthey，’wewillnotserve。’

　　’Allright，’sayshe，’don’t。’

　　SothepeoplewenttotheGeneralandrefusedtoenlist。AndtheoldDevilsawthatthisgamewasup，andhewentoffandingratiatedhimselfwiththeKingofTarak&aacute；n。

　　’Letusmakewar，’sayshe，’andconquerKingIv&aacute；n’scountry。

　　Itistruethereisnomoney，butthereisplentyofcornandcattleandeverythingelse。’

　　SotheKingofTarak&aacute；npreparedtomakewar。Hemusteredagreatarmy，providedriflesandcannons，marchedtothefrontier，andenteredIv&aacute；n’skingdom。

　　AndpeoplecametoIv&aacute；nandsaid，’TheKingofTarak&aacute；niscomingtomakewaronus。’

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

　　Havingcrossedthefrontier，theKingofTarak&aacute；nsentscoutstolookforIv&aacute；n’sarmy。Theylookedandlooked，buttherewasnoarmy！Theywaitedandwaitedforonetoappearsomewhere，buttherewerenosignsofanarmy，andnobodytofightwith。TheKingofTarak&aacute；nthensenttoseizethevillages。Thesoldierscametoavillage，andthepeople，bothmenandwomen，rushedoutinastonishmenttostareatthesoldiers。Thesoldiersbegantotaketheircornandcattle；thepeopleletthemhaveit，anddidnotresist。

　　Thesoldierswentontoanothervillage；thesamethinghappenedagain。

　　Thesoldierswentonforoneday，andfortwodays，andeverywherethesamethinghappened。Thepeopleletthemhaveeverything，andnooneresisted，butonlyinvitedthesoldierstolivewiththem。

　　’Poorfellows，’saidthey，’ifyouhaveahardlifeinyourownland，whydon’tyoucomeandstaywithusaltogether？’

　　Thesoldiersmarchedandmarched:stillnoarmy，onlypeoplelivingandfeedingthemselvesandothers，andnotresisting，butinvitingthesoldierstostayandlivewiththem。Thesoldiersfounditdullwork，andtheycametotheKingofTarak&aacute；nandsaid，’Wecannotfighthere，leaduselsewhere。Warisallright，butwhatisthis？Itislikecuttingpea-soup！Wewillnotmakewarhereanymore。’

　　TheKingofTarak&aacute；ngrewangry，andorderedhissoldierstoover-runthewholekingdom，todestroythevillages，toburnthegrainandthehouses，andtoslaughterthecattle。’Andifyoudonotobeymyorders，’saidhe，’Iwillexecuteyouall。’

　　Thesoldierswerefrightened，andbegantoactaccordingtotheKing’sorders。Theybegantoburnhousesandcorn，andtokillcattle。Butthefoolsstillofferednoresistance，andonlywept。Theoldmenwept，andtheoldwomenwept，andtheyoungpeoplewept。

　　’Whydoyouharmus？’theysaid。’Whydoyouwastegoodthings？Ifyouneedthem，whydoyounottakethemforyourselves？’

　　Atlastthesoldierscouldstanditnolonger。Theyrefusedtogoanyfurther，andthearmydisbandedandfled。

　　TheoldDevilhadtogiveitup。HecouldnotgetthebetterofIv&aacute；nwithsoldiers。Sohechangedhimselfintoafinegentleman，andsettleddowninIvan’skingdom。Hemeanttoovercomehimbymeansofmoney，ashehadovercomeTar&aacute；stheStout。

　　’Iwish，’sayshe，’todoyouagoodturn，toteachyousenseandreason。

　　Iwillbuildahouseamongyouandorganizeatrade。’

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

　　Nextmorningthefinegentlemanwentoutintothepublicsquarewithabigsackofgoldandasheetofpaper，andsaid，’Youalllivelikeswine。Iwishtoteachyouhowtoliveproperly。Buildmeahouseaccordingtothisplan。Youshallwork，Iwilltellyouhow，andIwillpayyouwithgoldcoins。’Andheshowedthemthegold。

　　Thefoolswereastonished；therewasnomoneyinuseamongthem；theybarteredtheirgoods，andpaidoneanotherwithlabour。

　　Theylookedatthegoldcoinswithsurprise。

　　’Whatnicelittlethingstheyare！’saidthey。

　　Andtheybegantoexchangetheirgoodsandlabourforthegentleman’sgoldpieces。AndtheoldDevilbegan，asinTar&aacute；s’skingdom，tobefreewithhisgold，andthepeoplebegantoexchangeeverythingforgoldandtodoallsortsofworkforit。

　　TheoldDevilwasdelighted，andthoughthetohimself，’Thingsaregoingrightthistime。NowIshallruintheFoolasIdidTar&aacute；s，andIshallbuyhimupbodyandsoul。’

　　Butassoonasthefoolshadprovidedthemselveswithgoldpiecestheygavethemtothewomenfornecklaces。Thelassesplaitedthemintotheirtresses，andatlastthechildreninthestreetbegantoplaywiththelittlepieces。Everybodyhadplentyofthem，andtheystoppedtakingthem。Butthefinegentleman’smansionwasnotyethalf-built，andthegrainandcattlefortheyearwerenotyetprovided。Sohegavenoticethathewishedpeopletocomeandworkforhim，andthathewantedcattleandgrain；foreachthing，andforeachservice，hewasreadytogivemanymorepiecesofgold。

　　Butnobodycametoworkandnothingwasbrought。Onlysometimesaboyoralittlegirlwouldrunuptoexchangeaneggforagoldcoin，butnobodyelsecame，andhehadnothingtoeat。Andbeinghungry，thefinegentlemanwentthroughthevillagetotryandbuysomethingfordinner。Hetriedatonehouse，andofferedagoldpieceforafowl，butthehousewifewouldn’ttakeit。

　　’Ihavealotalready，’saidshe。

　　Hetriedatawidow’shousetobuyaherring，andofferedagoldpiece。

　　’Idon’twantit，mygoodsir，’saidshe。’Ihavenochildrentoplaywithit，andImyselfalreadyhavethreecoinsascuriosities。’

　　Hetriedatapeasant’shousetogetbread，butneitherwouldthepeasanttakemoney。

　　’Idon’tneedit，’saidhe，’butifyouarebegging“forChrist’ssake[15]，“

　　waitabitandI’lltellthehousewifetocutyouapieceofbread。’

　　AtthattheDevilspat，andranaway。TohearChrist’snamementioned，letalonereceivinganythingforChrist’ssake，hurthimmorethanstickingaknifeintohim。

　　Andsohegotnobread。Everyonehadgold，andnomatterwheretheoldDevilwent，nobodywouldgiveanythingformoney，buteveryonesaid，’Eitherbringsomethingelse，orcomeandwork，orreceivewhatyouwantincharityforChrist’ssake。’

　　ButtheoldDevilhadnothingbutmoney；forworkhehadnoliking，andasfortakinganything’forChrist’ssake’hecouldnotdothat。TheoldDevilgrewveryangry。

　　’Whatmoredoyouwant，whenIgiveyoumoney？’saidhe。’Youcanbuyeverythingwithgold，andhireanykindoflabourer。’Butthefoolsdidnotheedhim。