"Saint Anne, we are done for! Here come the Kornikaneds and the Poulpikans to join the Korils for their midnight ball. They will make us dance with them till daybreak; and it is more than my poor heart can endure."
And, in fact, the troops of Korigans assembling from all parts, came round about poor Guilcher and his wife like flies in August to a drop of honey, but started back on seeing in his hand the little fork Benead had been using to clear the ploughshare, and began to sing with one accord,
"Let him be, let her be, The plough-fork has he! Let them go on their way, The fork carry they!"
Guilcher instantly perceived that the instrument he held in his hand acted as a charm against the power of the Korigans; and he and his wife passed unmolested through the very midst of them.
This was a hint to every body. From that day forward it became a universal custom to take out the little fork of an evening; and thus armed, any one might cross the heaths and valleys without fear of hindrance.
But Benead was not satisfied with having rendered this service to the Bretons; he was an inquisitive as well as an intelligent man, and as merry a hunchback as any in the four Breton bishoprics. For I have omitted to tell you that Benead carried from his birth a hump betwixt his shoulders, with which he would thankfully have parted at cost-price. He was looked on also as an honest workman, who laboured conscientiously for daily bread, and moreover well deserved the character of a good Christian.
One evening, unable to resist the wish, he took his little fork, commended himself devoutly to St. Anne, and set off towards the Motenn-Dervenn.
The Korils saw him from a distance, and ran to him, crying,
"Yes, it is I, my little men," replied the jovial hunchback; "I have come to pay you a friendly visit."
"You are welcome," replied the Korils. "Will you have a dance with us?"
"Excuse me, my good folks," replied Guilcher, "but your breath is too long for a poor invalid."
"We will stop whenever you like," cried the Korils.
"Will you promise that?" said Benead, who was not unwilling to try a round with them, as much for the novelty of the thing as that he might have it to talk about.
The hunchback, satisfied that such an oath secured him from all dangers, took his place in their chain; and the Korils began their round, singing their accustomed song: