askedjohn,whenhesawwhattheyweregoingtodo;"itisverywicked.leavehimtorestinpeace,inchrist'sname."

"nonsense,"repliedthetwodreadfulmen."hehascheatedus;heowedusmoneywhichhecouldnotpay,andnowheisdeadweshallnotgetapenny;sowemeantohaveourrevenge,andlethimlielikeadogoutsidethechurchdoor."

"ihaveonlyfiftydollars,"saidjohn,"itisallipossessintheworld,butiwillgiveittoyouifyouwillpromisemefaithfullytoleavethedeadmaninpeace.ishallbeabletogetonwithoutthemoney;ihavestrongandhealthylimbs,andgodwillalwayshelpme."

"why,ofcourse,"saidthehorridmen,"ifyouwillpayhisdebtwewillbothpromisenottotouchhim.youmaydependuponthat;"andthentheytookthemoneyheofferedthem,laughedathimforhisgoodnature,andwenttheirway.

thenhelaidthedeadbodybackinthecoffin,foldedthehands,andtookleaveofit;andwentawaycontentedlythroughthegreatforest.allaroundhimhecouldseetheprettiestlittleelvesdancinginthemoonlight,whichshonethroughthetrees.theywerenotdisturbedbyhisappearance,fortheyknewhewasgoodandharmlessamongmen.theyarewickedpeopleonlywhocanneverobtainaglimpseoffairies.someofthemwerenottallerthanthebreadthofafinger,andtheyworegoldencombsintheirlong,yellowhair.theywererockingthemselvestwotogetheronthelargedew-dropswithwhichtheleavesandthehighgrassweresprinkled.sometimesthedew-dropswouldrollaway,andthentheyfelldownbetweenthestemsofthelonggrass,andcausedagreatdealoflaughingandnoiseamongtheotherlittlepeople.itwasquitecharmingtowatchthematplay.thentheysangsongs,andjohnrememberedthathehadlearntthoseprettysongswhenhewasalittleboy.largespeckledspiders,withsilvercrownsontheirheads,wereemployedtospinsuspensionbridgesandpalacesfromonehedgetoanother,andwhenthetinydropsfelluponthem,theyglitteredinthemoonlightlikeshiningscontinuedtillsunrise.thenthelittleelvescreptintotheflower-buds,andthewindseizedthebridgesandpalaces,andflutteredthemintheairlikecobwebs.

asjohnleftthewood,astrongman'svoicecalledafterhim,"hallo,comrade,whereareyoutravelling?"

"intothewideworld,"hereplied;"iamonlyapoorlad,ihaveneitherfathernormother,butgodwillhelpme."

"iamgoingintothewideworldalso,"repliedthestranger;"shallwekeepeachothercompany?"

"withallmyheart,"hesaid,andsotheywentontogether.soontheybegantolikeeachotherverymuch,fortheywerebothgood;butjohnfoundoutthatthestrangerwasmuchmorecleverthanhimself.hehadtravelledallovertheworld,andcoulddescribealmosteverything.thesunwashighintheheavenswhentheyseatedthemselvesunderalargetreetoeattheirbreakfast,andatthesamemomentanoldwomancametowardsthem.shewasveryoldandalmostbentdouble.sheleaneduponastickandcarriedonherbackabundleoffirewood,whichshehadcollectedintheforest;herapronwastiedroundit,andjohnsawthreegreatstemsoffernandsomewillowtwigspeepingout.justasshecamecloseuptothem,herfootslippedandshefelltothegroundscreamingloudly;pooroldwoman,shehadbrokenherleg!johnproposeddirectlythattheyshouldcarrytheoldwomanhometohercottage;butthestrangeropenedhisknapsackandtookoutabox,inwhichhesaidhehadasalvethatwouldquicklymakeherlegwellandstrongagain,sothatshewouldbeabletowalkhomeherself,asifherleghadneverbeenbroken.andallthathewouldaskinreturnwasthethreefernstemswhichshecarriedinherapron.

"thatisrathertoohighaprice,"saidtheoldwoman,noddingherheadquitestrangely.shedidnotseematallinclinedtopartwiththefernstems.however,itwasnotveryagreeabletolietherewithabrokenleg,soshegavethemtohim;andsuchwasthepoweroftheointment,thatnosoonerhadherubbedherlegwithitthantheoldmotherroseupandwalkedevenbetterthanshehaddonebefore.butthenthiswonderfulointmentcouldnotbeboughtatachemist's.

"whatcanyouwantwiththosethreefernrods?"