Tal and the magic barruget

Tal's father departs to get married, but leaves the boy firm: instructions about cleanliness (""not throwing your Clothes all about, and changing your shirt at least every day, and washing if you haven't been swimming, and green vegetables, and weeding the garden."") Both Tal and the house-keeper Bruja Vieja are suspicious of the transformation from the comfortable old bachelor existence. To make the best of things they take the appropriate steps to obtain a Barruget (sort of a genie) which when released from his bottle, is ravenous for either work or food.