Page:Fairy tales and stories (Andersen, Tegner).djvu/135

Rh saw all the silver money in the chest, he threw away all the copper money he had, and filled his pocket and his knapsack with silver only.

He then went into the third chamber. But oh, how horrid! The dog in there had really eyes as big as the Round Tower, and they went round in his head like two wheels!

"Good evening!" said the soldier, and touched his cap, for such a dog he had never seen before; but, after having looked at him for a while, he thought he had had enough of that, so he lifted the dog down on the floor and opened the chest. Great heavens! what a lot of gold! He could buy the whole of Copenhagen, and all the sugar-pigs from the sweetstuff women out of it, as well as all the tin soldiers, whips, and rocking-horses in the world. Yes, there was plenty of money, sure enough.

The soldier now threw away all the silver shillings he had filled his pocket and his knapsack with, and took gold coins instead; all his pockets, his knapsack, his cap, and his boots were filled, so that he could scarcely walk. Now he had plenty of money! He put the dog back on the chest, slammed the door to, and cried up the tree:

"Pull me up, old witch!"

"Have you got the tinder-box with you?" asked the witch.

"Why, no!" said the soldier. "I had forgotten all about it"; and so he went and fetched it. The witch hoisted him up, and there he stood again on the high-road, with his pockets, boots, knapsack, and cap full of money.

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

"That has nothing to do with you," said the witch; "you have got your money! Give me the tinder-box!"

"Nonsense!" said the soldier; "just tell me at once what you are going to do with it, or I'll draw my sword and cut your head off!"

"No!" said the witch.

The soldier then cut her head off. There she lay. But he tied up all his money in her apron, carried it on his back like a bundle, put the tinder-box in his pocket, and set out straight for the town.

It was a fine town; he put up at the best inn, ordered the very best rooms, and the dishes he was fond of; for now he was rich, since he had so much money.

The servant who was going to clean his boots thought, of course, they were funny old boots for such a rich gentleman to wear, for he had not yet bought himself new ones. The next day, however, he got new boots and fine clothes; and now the soldier looked like a fine gentleman, and the people told him all about the grand things in their town, and about the king, and what a beautiful princess his daughter was.

"Where can one get to see her?" asked the soldier.

"She is not to be seen at all," they all said; "she lives in a big palace