verkita de Hans Christian Andersen

tradukita de HeYafu
　

Sur la granda voyo marcin soldato : "Un, bi! un, bi!" Hi havin sako
sur la dorso ay sabro ce la flanko, car hi esin antawe en milito, sed
nun hi irin home. Yen hi metin sur la voyo disyuna sorcino; xi esin
terure disbela, xia suba lipo pendin til la brusto. Xi dirin : "Guda
tago, soldato! Kia bela sabro ay granda sako yi havan! Yi esan vera
soldato! Nun yi ricevon tiom multe da monio, kiom yi volan havi."

"Mi dankan, disyuna sorcino!" dirin la soldato.

"Cu yi vidan tie la granda arbo?" dirin la sorcino, montrante arbo,
kiu trovisin apud lu. "Ji esan interne tute vaka. If yi grimpon sur
ji til la supro, yi ekvidon truo, tra kiu yi povon enrampi ay
descendi til la profundo de la arbo. Mi alligon al yi ropo al la
korpo, por ke mi povez returne tiri yi ep, kiam yi vokon mi."　

"Kio do mi devan fari tie en la arbo?" askin la soldato.

"Preni monio!" dirin la sorcino, "Kiam yi venon sur la botomo de la
arbo, yi trovison en longa koridoro; tie esan tute lume, car tie
brulan mor ol cent lampos. Tie yi rimarkon tri pordos. Yi povan
disfermi ju, la xlosilo sidan en ju. Kiam yi eniron alen la unu
cambro, yi ekvidon en la mido, sur la planko, granda kesto, sur kiu
sidan dogo. Ji havan bi okulos tiel biga, kiel bi tasos, sed yi ne
timez pro tio! Mi donan al yi mia aprono kum blua krados; yi etendon
ji sur la planko, pose alirez rapide, kaptez la dogo, putez ji sur
mia aprono, ay tiam disfermez la kesto ay prenez tiom da monio, kiom
yi volan. La tuta monio esan kupra. Sed if yi preferan havi arjento,
yi devan iri alen la biu cambro; tie sidan dogo, kiu havan okulos
tiel biga, kiel rados de muelilo; tamen ne timez, putez la dogo sur
mia aprono ay prenez monio. If yi volan havi goldo, yi povan anke
ricevi ji en tia granda kwanto, kia yi povon porti, if yi iron alen
la triu cambro. Sed la dogo, kiu sidan tie sur la kesto kum la monio,
havan bi okulos tiel biga, kiel ronda tawro. Yes, tio esan justa
dogo. Yi tamen ne timez; putez la dogo sur mia aprono, tiam ji faron
nio al yi, ay prenez el la kesto tiom da goldo, kiom yi volon."

"Tio tute ne esan mala!" dirin la soldato, "Sed kio mi devan doni al
yi, disyuna sorcino? car mi povan ja kompreni, ke yi anke volan havi
io!"

"Ne", dirin la sorcino, "even un penco mi ne volan havi. Alportez nur
la disnova fayrilo al mi, kiu mia avino forgesin, kiam xi esin tie
interne je la lasta foyo."

"Gude", dirin la soldato, "alligez do al mi la ropo al la korpo".

"Yen ji esan", respondin la sorcino, "ay yen esan mia aprono kum la
blua krados."

La soldato grimpin sur la arbo, rampin dawn tra la truo ay trovisin,
kiel la sorcino dirin, en la granda koridoro, kie brulin mor ol cent
lampos.　

Hi disfermin la unu pordo. Ha, tie sidin dogo, kum okulos tiel biga,
kiel tasos, ay rigide rigardin hi.

"Yi esan brava kido!" dirin la soldato, putin ji sur la aprono de la
sorcino ay prenin tiom da kupra monio, kiom povin eniri alen hia
poketos, pose hi fermin la kesto, putin returne la dogo sur ji ay
irin alen la biu cambro. Ho ve! tie sidin la dogo kum la okulos tiel
biga, kiel rados de muelilo.

"Ne rigardez mi tiel rigide!" dirin la soldato, "car la okulos
ekdoloruz yi!" Ay hi putin la dogo sur la aprono de la sorcino. Kiam
hi ekvidin multo da arjenta monio en la kesto, hi eljetin la tuta
kupra monio ay plenizin la poketos ay la sako sole per arjento.

Pose hi enirin alen la triu cambro. Ha, kiel terure! La dogo, kiu
esin tie, efektive havin bi okulos tiel biga, kiel ronda tawros, ay
ju turnisadin en jia hedo, kiel rados.

"Guda vespo!" dirin la soldato ay ektucin sia kapo per la mano, car
hi niam antawe vidin tia dogo; sed pos kiam hi rigardin ji dum kelka
tempo, hi ekpensin: "Nu, nun esan sufice!" ay hi putin la dogo sur la
planko ay disfermin la kesto. Ha, mia godo! Kia grandega amaso da
goldo! Per ji hi povuz aceti la tuta Kopenhagon ay la sukracos, la
stana soldatos, la wipos ay la sku-horsos de la tuta mondo.

Yes, tie esin bela kwanto da monio! La soldato eljetin la tuta
arjenta monio, per kiu hi antawe plenizin sia poketos ay sia sako, ay
insted tio hi prenin goldo; hi plenizin ciu poketos, la sako, la kapo
ay la butos tiel, ke hi preske ne povin iri. Ho, kiom multe da monio
hi nun havin! Hi residizin la dogo sur la kesto, ay fermin la pordo
ay ekkriin ep tra la arbo:

"Tirez mi ep, disyuna sorcino!"

"Cu yi prenin anke la fayrilo?" askin la sorcino.

"Efektive," dirin la soldato, "mi tute forgesin pri tio !" Ay hi irin
dawn ay prenin la fayrilo. La sorcino tirin hi ep el la arbo, ay hi
trovisin denove sur la voyo kum poketos, butos, sako ay kapo plena de
goldo.

"Por kio yi volan la fayrilo?" askin la soldato.

"Tio tute ne esan yia afero!" dirin la sorcino, "yi yam ricevin
monio, nun donez al mi nur la fayrilo."

"Sensenso!" dirin la soldato; "tuy direz al mi, por kio yi volan ji,
alie mi eltiron mia sabro ay dehakon al yi la hedo!"

"Ne!" dirin la sorcino.

Tiam la soldato dehakin al xi la hedo. Xi falin mortinta. Hi enligin
sia tuta monio en xia aprono, prenin ji sur la dorso, kiel paksako,
putin la fayrilo en la poketo ay irin rekte al la urbo.

Tio esin bela urbo; ay hi lojin en la most bela hotelo, postulin la
most bela cambros ay tiu manjacos, kiu hi most multe amin, car nun hi
esin ja rica, havante tiom multe da monio.

Esan vero, ke al la servisto, kiu esin brosanta hia butos, simin, ke
tio esan tre stranga disnova butos por tiel rica jentlulo; sed hi
ankore ne acetin al si nova.

Sed je la neksta tago hi acetin deca butos ay bela dresos. Nun la
soldato farisin eminenta jentlulo, ay oni vizitin ay rakontin al hi
pri ciu belacos de la urbo, pri la kingo, ay pri la belega kingidino.

"Kie oni povan vidi xi?" askin la soldato.

"Oni tute ne povan vidi xi!" oni respondin al hi, "xi lojan en granda
kupra kastelo, defendata cirkume de multe da muros ay tawros. Niu
escept la kingo, havan la permeso veni al xi, car esin predirite, ke
xi wedon kum ordinara soldato, ay la kingo ne povan toleri tio."

"Mi tre voluz vidi xi!" pensin la soldato, sed por tio hi kompreneble
ne povin ricevi la permeso.

Tamen, hi vivin tre gaye, iradin al la teatro, veturadin en la
gardeno de la kingo ay donadin multe da monio al la disricoros, kio
esin tre lodinda; hi rememorin la antawa tempo, kiel male esan, kiam
oni ne posedan even un xilingo. Nun hi esin rica, havin bela dresos
ay multe da amikos, kiu ciu dirin, ke hi esan guda humo, vera
jentlulo, ay tio tre apelin al la soldato.　

Sed car hi ciutage nur spendin monio ay niam ricevin io, tial fine
restin al hi nur bi xlingos; ay hi devin translojisi el la eleganta
cambros, en kiu hi antawe lojin, al cambreto tute sub la tegmento, hi
devin self brosi sia butos ay fliki ju per biga pinglo, ay niu el hia
amikos venin al hi, car oni devin levisi al hi per tro multe da
trepos.

Esin tre disluma vespo, ay hi ne afordin even aceti kandelo; tiam hi
sudene rememorin, ke esan ankore peco da meco en la fayrilo, kiu hi
prenin el la kaverno de la arbo, en kiu la sorcino envenizin hi. Hi
elprenin la fayrilo ay la meco; sed apene hi ekbatin fayro ay la
sparkos ekflugin el la fayrilo, la pordo rapide disfermisin, ay la
dogo, kiu havin okulos kiel tasos ay kiu hi vidin siatempe sub la
arbo, starin nun antaw hi ay dirin : "Kio mia mastro orderan?"

"Kio tio esan!" dirin la soldato, "tio esan ja stranga fayrilo, if mi
povan ricevi per ji tio, kio mi volan! "Portez al mi iom da monio",
hi dirin al la dogo.

Fulmorapide ji disaparin, ay fulmorapide ji reaperin, tenante en sia
buxo granda bago plena de kupra monio.

Nun la soldato konin, kia eksterordinara fayrilo tio esin. If hi
batin un foyo, venin la dogo, kiu sidin sur la kesto kum la kupra
monio; if hi batin bi foyos, venin tiu, kiu havin la arjenta monio;
ay if hi batin tri foyos, venin tiu, kiu havin la goldo.

Nun la soldato denove translojisin alen eleganta cambros, dresin si
per bela dresos, ay tiam ciu hia amikos tuy rekonin hi ay tre forte
estimin hi.

Un foye hi pensin: "Esan ja efektive strange, ke oni ne povan vidi la
kingidino! ciu diran, ke xi esan eksterordinare bela, sed kio esan la
utilo de tio, if xi ciam devan sidi en la granda kupra kastelo kum
multo da tawros? cu mi tute ne povuz vidi xi? Kie esan mia fayrilo?"
Hi ekbatin fayro, ay fulmorapide aperin la dogo kum la okulos kiel
tasos.

"Esan vero, ke nun esan midnokto", dirin la soldato, "mi tamen tre
forte deziruz vidi la kingidino, even if nur por un momento!"

La dogo tuy disaperin, ay autaw la soldato povin pensi pri tio, hi
vidin ji yam returne kum la kingidino. Xi sidin ay dormin sur la
dorso de la dogo, ay xi esin tiel bela, ke ciu povuz vidi, ke xi esan
vera kingidino. La soldato ne povin deteni si ay kisin xi, car hi
esin vera soldato.

Pos tio la dogo kum la kingidino forkurin returne. Kiam farisin morno
ay la kingo ay la kingino sidin ce la mornmanjo, la kingidino dirin,
ke xi havin en la nokto tre stranga drimo pri dogo ay soldato; ke xi
raydin sur la dogo ay la soldato kisin xi.

"Tio esuz efektive bela histro!" dirin la kingino. Oni decidin, ke en
la venonta nokto un el la disyuninos de la kortego wacon ce la
kingidino, por vidi, cu tio esin efektiva drimo, or kio alia ji esan.
　

La soldato terure sopirin vidi denove la bela kingidino, ay tial la
dogo denove venin en la nokto, prenin la kingidino ay kurin tiel
rapide kiel ji povin; sed la disyuna kortegino putin sur si hidra
butos ay poskurin tiel same rapide. Kiam xi vidin, ke lu disaperin en
granda domo, xi pensin: "Nun mi konan, kie esan la loko!" ay xi
markin granda kruco per peco da kreto sur la pordo. Pos tio xi irin
home ay dormin, ay anke la dogo kum la kingidino revenin.

Sed kiam la dogo vidin, ke sur la pordo, kie la soldato lojan, esan
desegnita kruco, ji anke prenin peco de kreto ay farin krucos sur ciu
pordos en la tuta urbo. Tio esin saja akto, car nun la kortegino ne
povin ja trovi la justa pordo, car sur ciu pordos trovisin krucos.

Frue morne venin la kingo ay la kingino, la disyuna kortegino ay ciu
oficistos, por vidi, kie la kingidino esin en la nokto.

"Yen ji esan!" dirin la kingo, kiam hi ekvidin la unu pordo, markita
per kruco.

"Ne, ji esan tie, dera spozulo!" dirin la kingino, kiam xi rimarkin
la biu pordo kum la kruco.

"Sed yen esan anke, ay yen esan denove!" lu ciu ekkriin; kie ayn lu
rigardin, trovisin krucos sur la pordos. Tiam lu komprenin, ke cia
sercado esuz vana.

Sed la kingino esin tre saja humino, kiu povin mor ol nur veturi en
karto. Xi prenin sia granda golda tondilo, diftrancin granda peco da
silko ay kudrin disbiga bela bago, kiu xi plenizin per delika
buktritika faruno ay alligin al la dorso de la kingidino; xi farin en
la bago disbiga truo, tiel, ke la faruno povin skateri sur la tuta
voyo, kiu la kingidino trapasuz.

En la nokto la dogo venin denove, prenin la kingidino sur sia dorso
ay kurin kum ji al la soldato, kiu tre forte lovin xi ay tre deziruz
esi prinso, por povi wedi kum xi.

La dogo tute ne rimarkin, kiel la faruno likin el la bago sur la tuta
voyo de la kastelo til la fenestro, tra kiu ji enirin kum la
kingidino. Tial morne la kingo ay la kingino vidin klare, kie lua
filino esin en la nokto, ay tiam lu prenin la soldato ay jetin hi
alen prizono.

Do hi sidin tie. Ha, kiel dislume ay enue esin tie! Oni anke dirin al
hi: "Morge oni pendizon yi!" Tio ne esin tre agrabla informo; ay plue
hi restizin sia fayrilo en la hotelo. Morne hi povin vidi tra la fera
krados antaw sia disbiga fenestro, kiel la peplo el la urbo rapide
alkuran, por vidi, kiel oni pendizon hi. Hi awdin la drumbatos ay
vidin la marcanta soldatos.

Ciu urbanos esin sur la pedos; inter lu esin anke un butista bubo kum
ledera aprono ay pantoflos; hi kurin tiel rapide, ke un pantoflo
forsaltin ay frapin juste antaw la muro, pos kiu la soldato sidin ay
rigardin tra la fera krados.

"Awdez, butisteto! yi ne nidan tiel hasti!" la soldato dirin al
hi, "oni ja faron nio, antaw mi venon. Sed if yi kuron al mia antawa
lojeyo ay alporton mia fayrilo al mi, yi ricevon kwar xlingos. Sed
kurez tiel rapide kiel yi povan!"

La butista bubo volin havi la kwar xlingos, ay hi kurin rapide kiel
sago, prenin la fayrilo, donin ji al la soldato, ay... nun mu balde
konon.

Ekster la urbo esin bildita granda pendizilo, cirkume starin la
soldatos ay multa milos da humos. La kingo ay la kingino sidin sur
pompa trono, juste konter la jujistos ay la tuta konsilistaro.

La soldato yam starin supre sur la treparo; sed kiam oni volin puti
la ropo cirkum hia kolo, hi dirin, ke antaw mizera pekinto esan
egzekutata, oni ja ciam plenuman al li ia senkulpa deziro; hi tre
deziruz fumi pipo da tobako, tio eson ja la lasta pipo, kiu hi
ricevon en ci tiu mondo!

La kingo ne volin rifuzi tio; la soldato prenin do sia fayrilo ay
ekbatin fayro, un, bi, tri foyos. Ay yen aperin ciu tri dogos, tiu
kum la okulos kiel tasos, tiu kum la okulos kiel rados de muelilo ay
tiu, kiu havin okulos tiel granda, kiel ronda tawros.

"Helpez mi, ke oni ne pendizez mi!" dirin la soldato. Tiam la dogos
jetin si al la jujistos ay sur la tuta konsilistaro, kaptin un ce la
pedos, alia ce la nazo, ay tosin lu tiel alte en la aero, ke ce la
falo lu brekisin al pecos.

"Ne tucez al mi!" dirin la kingo, sed la most biga dogo kaptin hi ay
la kingino ay tosin lu, kiel ciu alia. Tiam la soldatos ektimin, ay
la tuta peplo kriin: "Guda soldato, yi devan esi mua kingo ay wedi
kum la bela kingidino!"

Do oni sidizin la soldato en la karto de la kingo, ay ciu tri dogos
dansin fronte ay kriin "Hura!" ay la kidos fayfin tra la fingros, ay
la soldatos prezentin salutos. La kingidino esin liberizita el la
kupra kastelo ay farisin kingino, ay tio certe apelin al xi. La weda
festo durin dum ok tagos, ay la dogos sidin anke ce la tablo ay
rigardin per granda okulos.

　
English:

The Tinder-Box

by Hans Christian Andersen

(1835)

　

Soldier came marching along the high road: “Left, right-left,
right.”
He had his knapsack on his back, and a sword at his side; he had been
to the wars, and was now returning home.

As he walked on, he met a very frightful-looking old witch in the
road. Her under-lip hung quite down on her breast, and she stopped
and said, “Good evening, soldier; you have a very fine sword, and a
large knapsack, and you are a real soldier; so you shall have as much
money as ever you like.”

“Thank you, old witch,” said the soldier.

“Do you see that large tree,” said the witch, pointing to a tree
which stood beside them. “Well, it is quite hollow inside, and you
must climb to the top, when you will see a hole, through which you
can let yourself down into the tree to a great depth. I will tie a
rope round your body, so that I can pull you up again when you call
out to me.”

“But what am I to do, down there in the tree?” asked the soldier.

“Get money,” she replied; “for you must know that when you
reach the
ground under the tree, you will find yourself in a large hall,
lighted up by three hundred lamps; you will then see three doors,
which can be easily opened, for the keys are in all the locks. On
entering the first of the chambers, to which these doors lead, you
will see a large chest, standing in the middle of the floor, and upon
it a dog seated, with a pair of eyes as large as teacups. But you
need not be at all afraid of him; I will give you my blue checked
apron, which you must spread upon the floor, and then boldly seize
hold of the dog, and place him upon it. You can then open the chest,
and take from it as many pence as you please, they are only copper
pence; but if you would rather have silver money, you must go into
the second chamber. Here you will find another dog, with eyes as big
as mill-wheels; but do not let that trouble you. Place him upon my
apron, and then take what money you please. If, however, you like
gold best, enter the third chamber, where there is another chest full
of it. The dog who sits on this chest is very dreadful; his eyes are
as big as a tower, but do not mind him. If he also is placed upon my
apron, he cannot hurt you, and you may take from the chest what gold
you will.”

“This is not a bad story,” said the soldier; “but what am I to
give
you, you old witch? for, of course, you do not mean to tell me all
this for nothing.”

“No,” said the witch; “but I do not ask for a single penny.
Only
promise to bring me an old tinder-box, which my grandmother left
behind the last time she went down there.”

“Very well; I promise. Now tie the rope round my body.”

“Here it is,” replied the witch; “and here is my blue checked
apron.”

As soon as the rope was tied, the soldier climbed up the tree, and
let himself down through the hollow to the ground beneath; and here
he found, as the witch had told him, a large hall, in which many
hundred lamps were all burning.

Then he opened the first door. “Ah!” there sat the dog, with the
eyes
as large as teacups, staring at him.

“You’re a pretty fellow,” said the soldier, seizing him, and
placing
him on the witch’s apron, while he filled his pockets from the chest
with as many pieces as they would hold. Then he closed the lid,
seated the dog upon it again, and walked into another chamber, And,
sure enough, there sat the dog with eyes as big as mill-wheels.

“You had better not look at me in that way,” said the soldier;
“you
will make your eyes water;” and then he seated him also upon the
apron, and opened the chest. But when he saw what a quantity of
silver money it contained, he very quickly threw away all the coppers
he had taken, and filled his pockets and his knapsack with nothing
but silver.

Then he went into the third room, and there the dog was really
hideous; his eyes were, truly, as big as towers, and they turned
round and round in his head like wheels.

“Good morning,” said the soldier, touching his cap, for he had never
seen such a dog in his life. But after looking at him more closely,
he thought he had been civil enough, so he placed him on the floor,
and opened the chest. Good gracious, what a quantity of gold there
was! enough to buy all the sugar-sticks of the sweet-stuff women; all
the tin soldiers, whips, and rocking-horses in the world, or even the
whole town itself.

There was, indeed, an immense quantity. So the soldier now threw away
all the silver money he had taken, and filled his pockets and his
knapsack with gold instead; and not only his pockets and his
knapsack, but even his cap and boots, so that he could scarcely walk.

He was really rich now; so he replaced the dog on the chest, closed
the door, and called up through the tree, “Now pull me out, you old
witch.”

“Have you got the tinder-box?” asked the witch.

“No; I declare I quite forgot it.” So he went back and fetched the
tinderbox, and then the witch drew him up out of the tree, and he
stood again in the high road, with his pockets, his knapsack, his
cap, and his boots full of gold.

“What are you going to do with the tinder-box?” asked the soldier.

“That is nothing to you,” replied the witch; “you have the
money, now
give me the tinder-box.”

“I tell you what,” said the soldier, “if you don’t tell
me what you
are going to do with it, I will draw my sword and cut off your head.”

“No,” said the witch.

The soldier immediately cut off her head, and there she lay on the
ground. Then he tied up all his money in her apron. and slung it on
his back like a bundle, put the tinderbox in his pocket, and walked
off to the nearest town.

It was a very nice town, and he put up at the best inn, and ordered a
dinner of all his favorite dishes, for now he was rich and had plenty
of money.

The servant, who cleaned his boots, thought they certainly were a
shabby pair to be worn by such a rich gentleman, for he had not yet
bought any new ones.

The next day, however, he procured some good clothes and proper
boots, so that our soldier soon became known as a fine gentleman, and
the people visited him, and told him all the wonders that were to be
seen in the town, and of the king’s beautiful daughter, the princess.

“Where can I see her?” asked the soldier.

“She is not to be seen at all,” they said; “she lives in a
large
copper castle, surrounded by walls and towers. No one but the king
himself can pass in or out, for there has been a prophecy that she
will marry a common soldier, and the king cannot bear to think of
such a marriage.”

“I should like very much to see her,” thought the soldier; but he
could not obtain permission to do so.

However, he passed a very pleasant time; went to the theatre, drove
in the king’s garden, and gave a great deal of money to the poor,
which was very good of him; he remembered what it had been in olden
times to be without a shilling. Now he was rich, had fine clothes,
and many friends, who all declared he was a fine fellow and a real
gentleman, and all this gratified him exceedingly.

But his money would not last forever; and as he spent and gave away a
great deal daily, and received none, he found himself at last with
only two shillings left.

So he was obliged to leave his elegant rooms, and live in a little
garret under the roof, where he had to clean his own boots, and even
mend them with a large needle. None of his friends came to see him,
there were too many stairs to mount up.

One dark evening, he had not even a penny to buy a candle; then all
at once he remembered that there was a piece of candle stuck in the
tinder-box, which he had brought from the old tree, into which the
witch had helped him.

He found the tinder-box, but no sooner had he struck a few sparks
from the flint and steel, than the door flew open and the dog with
eyes as big as teacups, whom he had seen while down in the tree,
stood before him, and said, “What orders, master?”

“Hallo,” said the soldier; “well this is a pleasant tinderbox,
if it
brings me all I wish for.”

“Bring me some money,” said he to the dog.

He was gone in a moment, and presently returned, carrying a large bag
of coppers in his month. The soldier very soon discovered after this
the value of the tinder-box. If he struck the flint once, the dog who
sat on the chest of copper money made his appearance; if twice, the
dog came from the chest of silver; and if three times, the dog with
eyes like towers, who watched over the gold.

The soldier had now plenty of money; he returned to his elegant
rooms, and reappeared in his fine clothes, so that his friends knew
him again directly, and made as much of him as before.

After a while he began to think it was very strange that no one could
get a look at the princess. “Every one says she is very beautiful,”
thought he to himself; “but what is the use of that if she is to be
shut up in a copper castle surrounded by so many towers. Can I by any
means get to see her. Stop! where is my tinder-box?” Then he struck a
light, and in a moment the dog, with eyes as big as teacups, stood
before him.

“It is midnight,” said the soldier, “yet I should very much
like to
see the princess, if only for a moment.”

The dog disappeared instantly, and before the soldier could even look
round, he returned with the princess. She was lying on the dog’s back
asleep, and looked so lovely, that every one who saw her would know
she was a real princess. The soldier could not help kissing her, true
soldier as he was.

Then the dog ran back with the princess; but in the morning, while at
breakfast with the king and queen, she told them what a singular
dream she had had during the night, of a dog and a soldier, that she
had ridden on the dog’s back, and been kissed by the soldier.

“That is a very pretty story, indeed,” said the queen. So the next
night one of the old ladies of the court was set to watch by the
princess’s bed, to discover whether it really was a dream, or what
else it might be.

The soldier longed very much to see the princess once more, so he
sent for the dog again in the night to fetch her, and to run with her
as fast as ever he could. But the old lady put on water boots, and
ran after him as quickly as he did, and found that he carried the
princess into a large house. She thought it would help her to
remember the place if she made a large cross on the door with a piece
of chalk. Then she went home to bed, and the dog presently returned
with the princess.

But when he saw that a cross had been made on the door of the house,
where the soldier lived, he took another piece of chalk and made
crosses on all the doors in the town, so that the lady-in-waiting
might not be able to find out the right door.

Early the next morning the king and queen accompanied the lady and
all the officers of the household, to see where the princess had been.

“Here it is,” said the king, when they came to the first door with a
cross on it.

“No, my dear husband, it must be that one,” said the queen, pointing
to a second door having a cross also.

“And here is one, and there is another!” they all exclaimed; for
there were crosses on all the doors in every direction.

So they felt it would be useless to search any farther. But the queen
was a very clever woman; she could do a great deal more than merely
ride in a carriage. She took her large gold scissors, cut a piece of
silk into squares, and made a neat little bag. This bag she filled
with buckwheat flour, and tied it round the princess’s neck; and then
she cut a small hole in the bag, so that the flour might be scattered
on the ground as the princess went along.

During the night, the dog came again and carried the princess on his
back, and ran with her to the soldier, who loved her very much, and
wished that he had been a prince, so that he might have her for a
wife. The dog did not observe how the flour ran out of the bag all
the way from the castle wall to the soldier’s house, and even up to
the window, where he had climbed with the princess. Therefore in the
morning the king and queen found out where their daughter had been,
and the soldier was taken up and put in prison.

Oh, how dark and disagreeable it was as he sat there, and the people
said to him, “To-morrow you will be hanged.” It was not very
pleasant
news, and besides, he had left the tinder-box at the inn. In the
morning he could see through the iron grating of the little window
how the people were hastening out of the town to see him hanged; he
heard the drums beating, and saw the soldiers marching.

Every one ran out to look at them. and a shoemaker’s boy, with a
leather apron and slippers on, galloped by so fast, that one of his
slippers flew off and struck against the wall where the soldier sat
looking through the iron grating. “Hallo, you shoemaker’s boy, you
need not be in such a hurry,” cried the soldier to him. “There will
be nothing to see till I come; but if you will run to the house where
I have been living, and bring me my tinder-box, you shall have four
shillings, but you must put your best foot foremost.”

The shoemaker’s boy liked the idea of getting the four shillings, so
he ran very fast and fetched the tinder-box, and gave it to the
soldier. And now we shall see what happened. Outside the town a large
gibbet had been erected, round which stood the soldiers and several
thousands of people. The king and the queen sat on splendid thrones
opposite to the judges and the whole council.

The soldier already stood on the ladder; but as they were about to
place the rope around his neck, he said that an innocent request was
often granted to a poor criminal before he suffered death. He wished
very much to smoke a pipe, as it would be the last pipe he should
ever smoke in the world.

The king could not refuse this request, so the soldier took his
tinder-box, and struck fire, once, twice, thrice,- and there in a
moment stood all the dogs;-the one with eyes as big as teacups, the
one with eyes as large as mill-wheels, and the third, whose eyes were
like towers.

“Help me now, that I may not be hanged,” cried the soldier.

And the dogs fell upon the judges and all the councilors; seized one
by the legs, and another by the nose, and tossed them many feet high
in the air, so that they fell down and were dashed to pieces.

“I will not be touched,” said the king. But the largest dog seized
him, as well as the queen, and threw them after the others. Then the
soldiers and all the people were afraid, and cried, “Good soldier,
you shall be our king, and you shall marry the beautiful princess.”

So they placed the soldier in the king’s carriage, and the three dogs
ran on in front and cried “Hurrah!” and the little boys whistled
through their fingers, and the soldiers presented arms. The princess
came out of the copper castle, and became queen, which was very
pleasing to her. The wedding festivities lasted a whole week, and the
dogs sat at the table, and stared with all their eyes.