as bearskin was sitting alone in the evening, and wishing from the bottom of his heart that the seven years were over, he heard a loud lamenting in a neighboring room. he had a compassionate heart, so he opened the door, and saw an old man weeping bitterly, and wringing his hands. bearskin went nearer, but the man sprang to his feet and tried to escape from him. at last when the man perceived that bearskin’s voice was human he let himself be prevailed on, and by kind words bearskin succeeded so far that the old man revealed the cause of his grief. his property had dwindled away by degrees, he and his daughters would have to starve, and he was so poor that he could not pay the innkeeper, and was to be put in prison. "if that is your only trouble,"