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But the brownie, who was standing by, burst out laughing, and confessed that all the good offices she spoke of had been performed by him, for the sake of Jegu, but that now he had other business to do, and it was high time that she looked after her house herself. Barbaik was furious.
'Certainly, if you wish, and the frog jumped on the back of one of the horses, and changed into a little dwarf, all dressed green. This transformation rather frightened Jégu, but the brownie bade him have no fears, for he would not do him any harm; indeed, he hoped that Jégu might find him of some use. 'But why should you take all this interest in me? asked the peasant suspiciously.
And all the payment the brownie ever asked for was a bowl of broth. From the very day of her marriage Barbaïk had noted with surprise and rage that things ceased to be done for her as they had been done all the weeks and months before. She complained to Jégu of his laziness, and he only stared at her, not understanding what she was talking about.
'But where are you? inquired Jegu. 'Look close, and you will see me among the reeds in the form of a little green frog. I can take, he added proudly, 'any shape I choose, and even, which is much harder, be invisible if I want to. 'Then show yourself to me in the shape in which your family generally appear, replied Jegu.
Each morning when she was obliged to get up before dawn to milk the cows and go to market, and each evening when she had to sit up till midnight in order to churn the butter, her heart was filled with rage against the brownie who had caused her to expect a life of ease and pleasure. But when she looked at Jégu and beheld his red face, squinting eyes, and untidy hair, her anger was doubled.
He was tired with a long day's work, and stood with his hand on the mane of one of the animals, waiting till they had done, and thinking all the while of Barbaïk, when a voice came out of the gorse close by. 'What is the matter, Jégu? You mustn't despair yet. The young man glanced up in surprise, and asked who was there. 'It is I, the brownie of the lake, replied the voice.
'Yes, answered Jégu, 'I remember it very well, and I opened the net and let him go. 'Well, I was that robin redbreast, and ever since I have vowed to be your friend, and as you want to marry Barbaïk, I will prove the truth of what I say by helping you to do so. 'Ah! my little brownie, if you can do that, there is nothing I won't give you, except my soul.
To be sure, Jegu only replied roughly that he didn't know what she was talking about, but this answer made her feel all the more certain that it was he and nobody else. The same thing took place every day, and never had the cow-house been so clean nor the cows so fat. Morning and evening Barbaik found her earthen pots full of milk and a pound of butter freshly churned, ornamented with leaves.
This, also, she thought was the work of Jegu, and she could not help feeling that a husband of this sort would be very useful to a girl who liked to lie in bed and to amuse herself. Indeed, Barbaik had only to express a wish for it to be satisfied.
Each morning when she was obliged to get up before dawn to milk the cows and go to market, and each evening when she had to sit up till midnight in order to churn the butter, her heart was filled with rage against the brownie who had caused her to expect a life of ease and pleasure. But when she looked at Jegu and beheld his red face, squinting eyes, and untidy hair, her anger was doubled.
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