The goose viewed all this with great astonishment, exclaiming, 'Ah, what a tall handsome fellow you have now become. God be praised, there is no trace left in you of what you were before.' Now Jacob was highly rejoiced; he folded his hands and prayed. But his joy did not make him forget what he owed to Mimi the goose; his heart indeed urged him to go to his parents, yet from gratitude he overcame his wish and said, 'To whom but to you am I indebted that I am again restored to my former self? Without you I should never have found this herb, but should have continued for ever in that form, or else have died under the axe of the executioner. Well, I will repay you. I will bring you back to your father; he being so experienced in magic will be able easily to disenchant you.' The goose shed tears of joy and accepted his offer. Jacob fortunately escaped unknown from the palace with his goose, and started on his way for the sea-coast towards Mimi's home. It is needless to add that their journey was successful, that Wetterbock disenchanted his daughter, and dismissed Jacob laden with presents, that the latter returned to his native town, that his parents with delight recognised in the handsome young man their lost son, that he, with the presents that he had received, purchased a shop and became wealthy and happy. Only this much may be added, that after his departure from the duke's palace there was great consternation, for when, on the next morning, the duke was about to fulfil his oath, and to have the dwarf beheaded in case he had not discovered the herbs, he was nowhere to be found; and the prince maintained that the duke had let him escape secretly rather than lose his best cook, and accused him of breaking his word of honour. This circumstance gave rise to a great war between the two princes, which is well known in history by the name of the 'Herb War.' Many battles were fought, but at length a peace was concluded, which is now called the 'Pie Peace,' because at the festival of reconciliation the Souzeraine, queen of pies, was prepared by the prince's cook, and relished by the duke in the highest degree. Thus the most trifling causes often lead to the greatest result; and this, reader, is the story of 'Nose, the Dwarf.' THE END _Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, _Edinburgh_ Transcriber's note Words in italics have been surrounded with _underscores_ and small capitals changed to all capitals. On page 78 "hat" was changed to "that" (so that it sounded like). Otherwise the original was preserved, including inconsistent hyphenation. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Little Glass Man and Other Stories, by Wilhelm Hauff