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There was a man returning home one evening, when, as he was crossing a field, there met him a man on horse­back. "Will you come with me for a couple of hours?" said he. "I will," says the first; "but how will I come back?" "Oh, I'll leave you back," said the man; so he up on the horse behind the stranger, and away with them.

"Now what I want you to do is this: we've got a foot­ball match on, and you must kick for us."

"Well, I will," says he; and on that they were in the football field and the game began, and Jack wasn't long before he kicked the ball before him and kicked a goal. There was great joy among the little people, and they all set off to the big house for refreshment. Then the man who had brought Jack came and said, "You must take no refreshment here, nor take any notice of anything." So he watched them in the hall, and they had great eating and drinking.

To his great surprise, the first girl that brought in a dish was a sister he had lost three years before, but she passed without noticing him, and disappeared. After a while the man who had brought him came, and they mounted his horse and soon were back at the field whence they came. Then before he went, the horseman asked Jack what could he do for him? "Well," said he, "I saw my sister that's been dead three years at that house, and I would like her back."

"It's a hard thing," said the man, "but I'll try and do it for you." So he went away, and in a little time returned with the girl and disappeared. There was much joy on the two of them, and they set off for home.

Early in the morning the old father was wakened by a lowing without, and he saw some cattle among his oats. So he out and hunted them, and back to bed, and he says to the wife: "There's Jack come in, and he's brought a wife with him at last."