Once upon a time there was a miller who had a mill that would not turn. No matter what people tried, there was just no way to get it going. The miller could not keep any servants, for they either fled from the mill in fear at night, or they died of fright after having spent some time in it. One day, a beggar turned up at the miller's doorstep .

"Do you want to help me grind?" said the miller, "you can make a lot of money doing so."

Of course the beggar was willing.

"Well, you should know that there is some terrible life in the mill every night and that we just can't get it to turn."

"Oh, I'm not afraid of that. Just let me watch out there," said the servant, "but make sure you put a burning candle on every step of the stairs up till the last rung on the top."

So it happened. At first the miller and the servant were sitting by the fire in silence, but when it became late night, they suddenly heard some thumping and tumult. All the candles were blown out one by one, and a troop of black cats entered the mill.

When the cats got to the table, and intended to blowout the candle on it as well, the beggar said, "That's enough, pussycats, I wouldn't do that if I were you, because it would take all our sight away. Why don't I make us a nice cup of coffee, so we can have a nice chat."

This was only an excuse, for he needed the boiling water for something else. So the cats sat by the fire, and by Jove, they started talking.

"I'm off," said the miller.

"No, no," said the beggar, "you must stay."

After having sat like that for a while, one cat said to another, "I think we should chuck him out."

Some time later, the cat repeated this.

"Be careful," said the miller, "for they have already topped quite some guys. I'm off."

Again the cats said, "We should chuck him out of here."

But then one cat said, "Let's wait for Ginger first."

Some time later, a ginger cat came rushing in.

This is the time to spring to action, the beggar thought. He took a wooden spoon and started throwmg the boilmg water over the cats.

Howling and screaming, the cats fled, and from that moment on, the mill started grindmg. When the miller got up m the morning, the beggar had already ground a few sacks full h But the worst was yet to come, for the miller's wife was covered with blisters. She had had hand in it, for she was a witch, you see.