Once there lived a man named Bill Cooper; he was a black-smith and was very lazy. One fine Summer's day he went out and lay at the back of a ditch. The landlord was coming through the fields and he caught Bill lying there. He asked Bill what he was doing there. Bill said it was too warm to work inside in the forge and that he had come out to cool himself in the shade. The landlord had a good black thorn stick in his hand and he beat Bill into the forge with it. He told Bill that if he did not stay at his work for the future that he would take his house and leave him homeless. Then the landlord went into the house and seeing the destitution of Bill's wife and children he had great pity for her and gave her twenty pounds and told her to let him know if Bill wouldn't stay at his work for the future. When the landlord left she went out to Bill with the good news so he worked very hard for a while and the neighbours thought he had some connection with the devil because he was getting on so good.