for,ofcourse,youdonotmeantotellmeallthisfornothing."

"no,"saidthewitch;"butidonotaskforasinglepenny.onlypromisetobringmeanoldtinder-box,whichmygrandmotherleftbehindthelasttimeshewentdownthere."

"verywell;ipromise.nowtietheroperoundmybody."

"hereitis,"repliedthewitch;"andhereismybluecheckedapron."

assoonastheropewastied,thesoldierclimbedupthetree,andlethimselfdownthroughthehollowtothegroundbeneath;andherehefound,asthewitchhadtoldhim,alargehall,inwhichmanyhundredlampswereallburning.thenheopenedthefirstdoor."ah!"theresatthedog,withtheeyesaslargeasteacups,staringathim.

"you'reaprettyfellow,"saidthesoldier,seizinghim,andplacinghimonthewitch'sapron,whilehefilledhispocketsfromthechestwithasmanypiecesastheywouldhold.thenheclosedthelid,seatedthedoguponitagain,andwalkedintoanotherchamber,and,sureenough,theresatthedogwitheyesasbigasmill-wheels.

"youhadbetternotlookatmeinthatway,"saidthesoldier;"youwillmakeyoureyeswater;"andthenheseatedhimalsoupontheapron,andopenedthechest.butwhenhesawwhataquantityofsilvermoneyitcontained,heveryquicklythrewawayallthecoppershehadtaken,andfilledhispocketsandhisknapsackwithnothingbutsilver.

thenhewentintothethirdroom,andtherethedogwasreallyhideous;hiseyeswere,truly,asbigastowers,andtheyturnedroundandroundinhisheadlikewheels.

"goodmorning,"saidthesoldier,touchinghiscap,forhehadneverseensuchadoginhislife.butafterlookingathimmoreclosely,hethoughthehadbeencivilenough,soheplacedhimonthefloor,andopenedthechest.goodgracious,whataquantityofgoldtherewas!enoughtobuyallthesugar-sticksofthesweet-stuffwomen;allthetinsoldiers,whips,androcking-horsesintheworld,oreventhewholetownitselftherewas,indeed,animmensequantity.sothesoldiernowthrewawayallthesilvermoneyhehadtaken,andfilledhispocketsandhisknapsackwithgoldinstead;andnotonlyhispocketsandhisknapsack,butevenhiscapandboots,sothathecouldscarcelywalk.

hewasreallyrichnow;sohereplacedthedogonthechest,closedthedoor,andcalledupthroughthetree,"nowpullmeout,youoldwitch."

"haveyougotthetinder-box?"askedthewitch.

"no;ideclareiquiteforgotit."sohewentbackandfetchedthetinderbox,andthenthewitchdrewhimupoutofthetree,andhestoodagaininthehighroad,withhispockets,hisknapsack,hiscap,andhisbootsfullofgold.

"whatareyougoingtodowiththetinder-box?"askedthesoldier.

"thatisnothingtoyou,"repliedthewitch;"youhavethemoney,nowgivemethetinder-box."

"itellyouwhat,"saidthesoldier,"ifyoudon'ttellmewhatyouaregoingtodowithit,iwilldrawmyswordandcutoffyourhead."

"no,"saidthewitch.

thesoldierimmediatelycutoffherhead,andthereshelayontheground.thenhetiedupallhismoneyinherapron.andslungitonhisbacklikeabundle,putthetinderboxinhispocket,andwalkedofftothenearesttown.itwasaverynicetown,andheputupatthebestinn,andorderedadinnerofallhisfavoritedishes,fornowhewasrichandhadplentyofmoney.

theservant,whocleanedhisboots,thoughttheycertainlywereashabbypairtobewornbysucharichgentleman,forhehadnotyetboughtanynewones.thenextday,however,heprocuredsomegoodclothesandproperboots,sothatoursoldiersoonbecameknownasafinegentleman,andthepeoplevisitedhim,andtoldhimallthewondersthatweretobeseeninthetown,andoftheking'sbeautifuldaughter,theprincess.

"wherecaniseeher?"