Page:Little Ellie and Other Tales (1850).djvu/46

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The Tinder-Box.

through the hole in the trunk, and stood suddenly in the great hall, which was lighted, exactly as the old witch had told him, by a hundred lamps.

As soon as he had looked round him a little, he found also the three doors, and immediately opened the first. There really sat the dog with eyes as large as tea-cups, and stared at him.

“Ho, ho, my dog!” said the soldier.

“Good fellow!” And he spread the witch’s apron on the floor, and set the dog upon it.

He now opened the money-chest, filled all his pockets with copper pennies and half-pence, shut down the lid again, put the staring dog on the top of it, and went, with his apron, into the second chamber. Good heavens! There sat the dog with eyes as big as mill-wheels.

“You should not look at me so fixedly,” said he to the dog that was keeping watch; “that weakens the eyes!” Thereupon he set the animal on the apron; but when he saw the quantity of silver coin, he threw away the coppers and filled all his pockets

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