Page:Danish fairy and folk tales.djvu/327

 dwarf, whereupon he skipped through a small opening, and disappeared in the ground.

The next evening James was standing at the foot of the hill, when suddenly the latter was raised on four red pillars, forming a portal under which the dwarf of the previous evening was standing. "Come in," said he to the young man. "My father will allow you to make three wishes, all of which we shall fulfil."

Without fear James accepted the invitation, and as soon as he had entered the portal, the hill closed above him, whereupon he was led from one magnificent room into another. Thousands of dwarfs were busily engaged in many different occupations, such as sword-making, weaving, and cutting precious stones, and from every corner curious and costly diamonds sent their sparkling rays into space. "Have you decided what wishes to make?" asked the little man. "Yes," replied James. "I want a shot-gun, a horse, and a horn." "You shall have them," said the dwarf, leading him into a room filled with all that belongs to a hunter's equipment. There were guns as large as trees and as small as pen-holders, some plain, some costly, some made of iron and steel, and some glittering with silver and gold and costly stones, such as we never see among us. James looked around, and finally reached for an old, rusty musket, hanging on the wall in a broad leathern strap. "This one will suit me best," said he. "All the fine fire-arms, mounted in gold