eat with them. This,
however, he declined to do, for he feared that if he tasted the food
which was offered him he must remain there. The stranger whom he had
followed then took a leathern purse, filled it with small round pieces
of wood, and gave it to the peasant with these words: "So long as thou
art in possession of this purse money will never fail thee. But if thou
shouldst ever see me again, beware of speaking to me; for if thou speak
thy luck will depart." When the man got home he found the purse filled
with dollars; and by virtue of its magical property he became the
richest man in the parish. As soon as he found the purse always full,
whatever he took out of it, he began to live in a spendthrift manner
and frequented the alehouse. One evening as he sat there he beheld the
stranger with a bottle in his hand going round and gathering the drops
which the guests shook from time to time out of their glasses. The rich
peasant was surprised that one who had given him so much did not seem
able to buy himself a single dram, but was reduced to this means of
getting a drink. Thereupon he went up to him and said: "Thou hast shown
me more kindness than any other man ever did, and I will willingly treat
thee to a little." The words were scarce out of his mouth when he
received such a blow on his head that he fell stunned to the ground; and
when again he came to himself the stranger and his purse were both gone.
From that day forward he became poorer and poorer, until he was reduced
to absolute beggary.[32]

This story exemplifies every point that had had interested us in this
discussion: the need of the Trolls for human help, the refusal of food,
fairy gratitude, and the conditions involved in the acceptance of
supernatural gifts. It mentions one further characteristic of fairy
nature--the objection to be recognized and addressed by men who are
privileged to see them. But the consideration of this requires another
chapter.

FOOTNOTES:

[15] "Y Cymmrodor," vol. v. p. 70, translated from "Y Brython," vol. iv.
p. 251.

[16] Poestion, p. 111; Grimm, "Teut. Myth." p. 457, note, quoting at
length the declaration from Huelpher, "Samlingen om Jaemtland." A
translation will be found in Keightley, p. 122.

[17] Meier, p. 59.

[18] Thorpe, vol. ii. p. 128, from Thiele, "Danmark's Folkesagn";
Keightley, p. 506.

[19] Waldron, p. 28.

[20] "Melusine," vol. i. p. 446; Radloff, vol. i. p. 78; Blade, vol. i.
p. 161; Cosquin, v