The Gnome, without pursuing the subject, repeated his offer as to the child; but the mother, deigning him no reply, and having now filled her basket, fastened the little brawler upon the top of it, and Rubezahl seeing this, turned away, as if about to depart. But as the load was too heavy for the woman to lift, she called him back:
“As I have called you,” said she, boldly trusting in his good-natured looks, “I pray you to help me up with my basket, and if you are disposed to go a trifle further, give your little favourite a halfpenny to buy himself a roll; to-morrow his father returns home, and will bring us some white bread from Bohemia, where he has been trading.”
“I will help thee up with thy basket,” said Rubezahl, suiting the action to the word, “but if thou wilt not give me the boy, not a farthing of my money shall he have.”
“As you please,” said the woman, and took her departure.
The farther she went the heavier she found the basket, so that, after awhile, almost sinking under her load, she was fain to stop every few yards to take breath, There seemed something decidedly wrong here: Rubezahl, thought she, is at his tricks; he has no doubt thrust a great stone or two under the leaves; she accordingly rested the basket on a
