Children's Literature: A Textbook of Sources for Teachers and Teacher-Training ClassesCurry, Charles Madison
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Children's Literature: A Textbook of Sources for Teachers and Teacher-Training Classes
Curry, Charles Madison
Children -- Books and reading; Children's literature -- Study and teaching
"You should not stare so hard at me," said the soldier; "you might
strain your eyes." And he set the dog upon the witch's apron. And when
he saw the silver money in the chest, he threw away all the copper money
he had, and filled his pocket and his knapsack with silver only. Then he
went into the third chamber. Oh, but that was horrid! The dog there
really had eyes as big as towers, and they turned round and round in his
head like wheels.
"Good evening!" said the soldier; and he touched his cap, for he had
never seen such a dog as that before. When he had looked at him a little
more closely, he thought, "That will do," and lifted him down to the
floor, and opened the chest. Mercy! what a quantity of gold was there!
He could buy with it the whole town, and the sugar sucking-pigs of the
cake woman, and all the tin soldiers, whips, and rocking-horses in the
whole world. Yes, that was a quantity of money! Now the soldier threw
away all the silver coin with which he had filled his pockets and his
knapsack, and took gold instead: yes, all his pockets, his knapsack, his
boots, and his cap were filled, so that he could scarcely walk. Now
indeed he had plenty of money. He put the dog on the chest, shut the
door, and then called up through the tree, "Now pull me up, you old
witch."
"Have you the tinder-box?" asked the witch.
"Plague on it!" exclaimed the soldier, "I had clean forgotten that." And
he went and brought it.
The witch drew him up, and he stood on the high road again, with
pockets, boots, knapsack, and cap full of gold.
"What are you going to do with the tinder-box?" asked the soldier.
"That's nothing to you," retorted the witch. "You've had your
money--just give me the tinder-box."
"Nonsense!" said the soldier. "Tell me directly what you're going to do
with it, or I'll draw my sword and cut off your head."
"No!" cried the witch.
So the soldier cut off her head. There she lay! But he tied up all his
money in her apron, took it on his back like a bundle, put the
tinder-box in his pocket, and went straight off toward the town.
That was a splendid town! And he put up at the very best inn and asked
for the finest rooms, and ordered his favorite dishes, for now he was
rich, as he had so much money. The servant who had to clean his boots
certainly thought them a remarkably old pair for such a rich gentleman;
but he had not bought any new ones yet. The next day he procured proper
boots and handsome clothes. Now our soldier had become a fine gentleman;
and the people told him of all the splendid things which were in their
city, and about the King, and what a pretty Princess the King's daughter
was.
"Where can one get to see her?" asked the soldier.
"She is not to be seen at all," said they, all together; "she lives in a
great copper castle, with a great many walls and towers round about it;
no one but the King may go in and out there, for it has been prophesied
that she shall marry a common soldier, and the King can't bear that."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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