d make fun of him. The eldest son wanted to go and cut wood in the forest, and before he left home his mother prepare

ning," and said: "Give me a little piece of cake out of your basket an

! Why, if I did, I should have none for myself. Not I, indeed,

e stroke: the axe slipped and cut his arm so badly that he was obliged to go home

wine. As he entered the wood the same little old man met him, and begged for a piece of cake and a drop

ent soon came; he had scarcely given two strokes on a tree with his axe, when he

is father, "Let me go for onc

e been hurt already, and it would be worse

o that his father said: "There, get along with you;

ich had been made with water and baked

nd after greeting him kindly, said: "Give me a little of your ca

been baked in the ashes, and some sour beer; but you are welcom

eer into wine. After they had eaten and drank enough, the little old man said: "Because you have been kind-hearted, and shared your dinner with

n said "Farewel

the roots a goose, whose feathers were of pure gold. He took it up, and, instead of going h

not long after the young man left the room. She instantly went up to the bird and took hold of its wing, but as she did so, the finger and thumb remained and stuck fast. In a short time after the second sister came in with the full expectation of gaining a golden feather, b

not she be there? So she made a spring forward and touched her second sister, and immediately she

himself about the three girls, who were following close behind him. And as he walked quickly, t

the procession as it came near him. "Shame on you!" he cried out. "What are you about, you bol

few minutes the clerk met them, and when he saw the parson runing after the girls, he wondered greatly, and cried out, "Halloa, master parson, where are you ru

Presently two peasants came by with their sickles from the field. The parson called out to them, and begged them to come and release him and the c

ch a melancholy disposition that no one could make her laugh; therefore he issued

tted after him. The sight was so ridiculous that the moment the princess saw it s

e; but his majesty did not quite like to have the young man for a son-in-law, so he said that, before he cou

lp me, it is the little gray man." When he arrived at the spot where

him why he loo

ble to quench it; and cold water I cannot endure. I have emptied a cask

man; "come with me, and you shal

he casks one after another, and drank and drank till his back ache

ughter to such a common fellow, and to get rid of him he made another condition. He said that no

making the most horrible faces. As the youth approached, he cried, "I have eaten a whole ovenful of rolls, but it has not satisfied

n he heard this. "Get up," he exclaimed, "and come wit

ngdom to be made into bread, and piled up in a huge mountain. The hungry man placed hims

e several excuses, and at last said that if he could bring him a ship that would travel as

e said, as the youth approached, "it was I who sent the men to eat and drink, and I will also give you a ship that

r refuse to give him his daughter in marriage. The wedding was celebrated with great pomp, and after