to see if his instructions had been followed properly, and seeing that they had been he was pleased and went out again. The soldier decided that in the Devil's absence it was time for him to have a good look around Hell, and he saw that all the pots were boiling away with a good fire beneath them. He would have liked to have a peek inside them, except the Devil had strictly forbidden this. However, the urge became too much and he lifted the lid of the nearest pot and peeked inside - and there he saw his old sergeant sitting in the boiling hell-broth. "Well, well," he said "so there you are! Once you had me in your power, but now the boot is on the other foot!" And with that he dropped the lid back onto the pot and stoked the hell-fire while adding more wood. Then he moved to the next pot, lifting the lid as before and peeking inside where he discovered his old captain inside the pot. "Well, well," he said "so there you are! Once you had me in your power, but now the boot is on the other foot!" And with that again he dropped the lid back onto the pot and stoked the hell-fire while adding more wood. His curiosity having him firmly in its grip, he moved to the third pot, lifting the lid as before and peeking inside he discovered his old general. "Well, well," he said "so there you are! Once you had me in your power, but now the boot is on the other foot!" And with that he dropped the lid back onto the pot and stoked the hell-fire while adding more wood. During his seven years in Hell never once did the soldier wash, comb, or trim himself, or cut his hair or nails, or wipe the tears from his eyes, and it seemed to him that the seven years flew past as if they were only six months. And when his time was up the Devil came to him and said, "Now, Hans, how have you occupied your time in Hell?" "Well", he replied, "I have followed your orders to the letter, like the old soldier I am. I have stoked the fires under the pots and I have swept the dust and dirt behind the doors." "Ah", said the Devil, "but you have