The townspeople’s fear of the Brownie was pacified by baby Meg’s approval of him. Now the questions begin.

Then everybody grew very brave and crowded around him. And when they were close to him they saw that his hairy face was kind, and that his big eyes had a merry twinkle in them.

“Can you not speak?” asked an old man.  “Tell us where you came from.”

“I cannot tell you where I came from,” said the wee man. “My country has no name, and it is not at all like this land of yours. For there, we all learn to serve, while here, everyone wishes to be served. We love to work. It sometimes happens there is no work for us at home. Then one of us may come to your land, to see if you have need of him.”

“Do you really like to work?” asked idle Tom, who was not torubled in that way. And his eyes looked almost as big as the Brownie’s.

“I love to serve,” said the Bownie. “He serves himself best, who serves others most. If I am needed I will stay in this place for a while. I do not want clothes or a bed or wages. All I ask for is a corner of the barn to sleep in and a bowl of broth at bedtime.

“If no one troubles me, I will be ready to help anyone who needs me. I’ll bring in the sheep from the hill. I’ll gather the harvest by moonlight. I’ll bake your bread on a busy day. I’ll sing the babies to sleep in their cradles. The babies always love me.”

Next time: “The Miller’s Invite”