The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
Children's literature
“You’re a nice fellow!” exclaimed the Soldier; and he set him on the
Witch’s apron, and took as many shillings as his pockets would hold,
and then locked the chest, set the dog on it again, and went into the
second chamber, Aha! there sat the dog with eyes as big as mill wheels.
“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 pockets 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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