Page:Danish fairy and folk tales.djvu/356

 entered the room with a beaker of wine in one hand and dainty cakes in the other. She offered it to the three men with much kindness, but they all refused, saying they had had enough at the supper-table and needed no more. Realizing that they were determined to receive nothing, the maiden withdrew, and the tailors slept quietly until morning. When they arose, the goose had already prepared their breakfast. She bade them kindly good-morning, saying: "Last night you braved the temptation, so I am in hopes that you may be able to dispel the enchantment that rests upon this castle and the forest all around. When breakfast is over, you may start in search of the sorcery. Somewhere you will pass, however, a tree which carries gold leaves from midnight until noon, but if you wish to free me, you are forbidden to touch them."

The three tailors accordingly left the castle and passed through a fine garden. There stood the tree, gleaming in the morning sunshine with its sparkling golden-red splendor. "Well," cried one of the men, "a fool is he who will go in search of sorcerers when he may become wealthy here without the least danger!" The second tailor thought likewise, and so the two seized upon the leaves, and filled their pockets and knapsacks until these were entirely stuffed with the golden treasure. But the third tailor said to his comrades: "I intend to keep my promise to the goose, and, besides, I should like to