"Yes; all right. Take hold of this sledge-hammer, and give me a few
hammers till I finish this job before I go."

So the devil seized the hammer and began striking the anvil, but he
couldn't stop.

So Billy laughed, and locked him in, and was away three days. During
this time the people collected round the smithy, and peeped through
the cracks in the shutter, for they could hear the hammer going
night and day.

At the end of three days Billy returned and opened the door, and the
devil said, "Oh, Billy, you've played a fine trick to me; let me
go."

"What are you going to give me if I let you go?"

"Seven years more, twice the money, and two days' grace for wishing
for what you like."

The devil paid his money and disappeared, and Billy shut the smithy
and took to gambling and drinking, so that at the end of seven years
he was without a penny, and working again in his smithy.

On the last night of the seven years he went to his favourite
public-house again, and wished for five pounds.

After he wished, a little man entered and spat the sovereigns into
the tumbler, and they all drank all night.