He brought laughter to folks wherever he journeyed and played tricks in every place. He feared neither man nor beast nor hex nor Old Gooseberry. Up and down and all around the state he wandered and was welcome wherever he went.

One day Eileschipiggel walked along the path, stick in hand, when he saw OldGooseberry coming his way ready for mischief and trouble.

OldGooseberry and Eileschipiggel had fought many a battle and OldGooseberry was always beaten, but he was ever ready to try again.

The two walked along the roads, between the mountains, through the woods talking till they came to a farmhouse, where there wasn't a soul to be seen. Farmer and family had gone to the fair.

Eileschipiggel and Old Gooseberry sat down near the spring to have their noonday meal. "Eileschipiggel, you're pretty smart, and you have beaten me many a time, but there is one thing in which you can't beat me."

"Maybe I can and maybe I can't; I trust my wits and my good luck. Now tell me in what can't I beat you."

"You can never stand the heat I can for my home is hotter than a white-heated, steel mill furnace."

"Maybe I can and maybe I can't, but I am willing to try it once," said the trickster of Pennsylvania.

"Let's try it right now," OldGooseberry cried. "There's a stove here by the house. We'll put logs in it and get it going, then we'll both get in and see who can stay longest. If you can't stay there as long as I, you belong to me."

Eileschipiggel agreed. They gathered chestnut loads and oak logs, pine logs and maple logs, and put them all in the stove. Then they started the fire. OldGooseberry Crept in and Eileschipiggel followed closing the door behind them.

The fire began to burn, and the stove was getting hot. It burned higher, and the stove was getting hotter. The fire roared and burned and the bricks were getting burning hot.

OldGooseberry sat back happy and contented, but Eileschipiggel was mighty uncomfortable. He was sweating all over and moved from place to place. The oven was becoming hotter and hotter and the bricks were red. Eileschipiggel's pants began to burn. He couldn't stand the heat any more. He began crawling to the door to get out.

"Where are you going?"

OldGooseberry cried. "Can't stand the heat? Remember if you run, you can't run far, for you belong to me."

"Can't stand the Heat! Don't talk so foolish! Fact is, I am freezing cold and shivering in my skin. I am going out to put on bigger logs. I wan to get warmed up." And Eileschipiggel slid out of the door.

OldGooseberry scratched his head and thought hard. Soon he, too, slit out of the stove. There was Eileschipiggel, busy gathering big spruce logs to put in the stove. OldGooseberry said angrily, "Don't get the logs. I am beginning to think you're a fellow that can't be beat. But let me think, and someday I'll try again."