DANISH FAIRY AND FOLK TALES
always the same, but Hans was as complaisant and obedient as when he entered upon his duties. The troll asked him each morning, "You are not angry, Hans?" The boy promptly answered, "No, I have no reason to be angry."
On the fourth morning, when Hans came into the room and the farmer showed him the letters above the door, he turned around, intending to return to the barn, when the troll said: "Are you not angry, Hans?" "No," answered he, "not particularly." "Have you had nothing to eat for these three days?" continued the troll. "Yes," replied Hans; "I had all that I needed. I looked to the rye, as Master said. The innkeeper is willing enough to give me all that I need for a bushel of rye every day." "What do you say?" shouted the troll. "I hope Master is not angry with me," pursued Hans. "No, no, by no means," eagerly returned the troll; "but you had better leave the threshing and do something else. You had better plough some of the fields. Load the plough on a wagon and drive out. My dog will go in front of you; where he lies down you must begin ploughing, and when he returns home you must follow him back to the house." Hans obeyed; but towards noon he began to feel hungry. As the dog remained lying in the grass, and seemed to have no intentions of moving, the boy seized his whip and reached him a good blow across the back, which caused him to jump up and run homeward at great speed. Hans skipped
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