Page:Tales from the Fjeld.djvu/67

Rh workman who was so strong. He had better come in and have something to eat, he said. Grumblegizzard thought so too, and he alone ate all that was ready for the master and mistress and for the servants, and after all he was not half full.

"That was a man and a half to work, but a fearful fellow to eat, too; there was no stopping him," said the goodman. "Such a labourer would eat a poor farmer out of house and home before one could turn round."

So he told him he had no more work for him. He had best be off to the king's grange.

Then Grumblegizzard strode on to the king, and got a place at once. In the king's grange there was enough both of work and food. He was to be odd man, and help the lasses to bring in wood and water, and other small jobs. So he asked what he was to do first.

"Oh, if you would be so good as to chop us a little firewood."

Yes. Grumblegizzard fell to chopping and hewing till the splinters flew about him. 'Twas not long before he had chopped up all that there was, both of firewood and timber, both planks and beams; and when he had done, he came back and asked what he was to do now.

"Go on chopping wood," they said.

"There's no more left to chop," said he.

"That couldn't be true," said the king's grieve, and he went and looked out in the wood-yard. But it was quite true: Grumblegizzard had chopped everything up; he had made firewood both of sawn planks and