s the cause of all his misfortune.
"What am I now to do with the horse and chaise?" he cried; "of what use
is the manufactory and all the glass to me? Even when I was merely a
wretched charcoal-burner, I lived more happily, and had no cares. Now
I know not when the bailiff may come to value my goods and chattels,
and seize all for debt."

"Indeed?" replied the glass-mannikin, "indeed? I am then the cause of
your being unfortunate. Is that your gratitude for my benefits? Who
bade you wish so foolishly? A glass-manufacturer you wished to be, and
you did not know where to sell your glass! Did I not tell you to be
cautious in what you wished? Common sense, Peter, and prudence, you
wanted."

"A fig for your sense and prudence," cried Peter; "I am as shrewd a
fellow as any one, and will prove it to you, glass-mannikin," seizing
him rudely by the collar as he spoke these words, and crying, "have I
now got you, Schatzhauser? Now I will tell you my third wish, which
you shall grant me. I'll have instantly, on the spot, two hundred
thousand hard thalers and a house. Woe is me!" he cried, suddenly
shaking his hand, for the little man of the wood had changed himself
into red-hot glass, and burned in his hand like bright fire. Nothing
more was to be seen of him.

For several days his swollen hand reminded him of his ingratitude and
folly. Soon, however, he silenced his conscience, saying: "Should they
sell my glass, manufactory and all, still fat Hezekiel is certain to
me; and as long as he has money on a Sunday, I cannot want."

"Very true, Peter! But, if he has none?" And so it happened one day,
and it proved a singular example in arithmetic. For he came one Sunday
in his chaise to the inn, and at once all the people popped their heads
out of the windows, one saying, "There comes gambling Peter;" a second
saying, "Yes, there is the emperor of the ball-room, the wealthy
glass-manufacturer;" while a third shook his head, saying, "It is all
very well with his wealth, but people talk a great deal about his
debts, and somebody in town has said that the bailiff will not wait
much longer before he distrains upon him."

At this moment the wealthy Peter saluted the guests at the windows, in
a haughty and grave manner, descended from his chaise, and cried: "Good
evening, mine Host of the Sun. Is fat Hezekiel here?"

To this question a deep voice answered from within: "Only come in,
Peter; your place is kept for you,