s grandmother, and how he had heard from his own lips the
answer to the riddle.

Then they were all delighted and in high spirits, took out their whip,
and cracked so much money that it came jumping up from the ground.
When the seven years had quite gone, the Fiend came with his book, and,
pointing at the signatures, said, 'I will take you underground with me;
you shall have a meal there. If you can tell me what you will get for
your roast meat, you shall be free, and shall also keep the whip.'

Then said the first soldier, 'In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat; that
shall be the roast meat.'

The Dragon was much annoyed, and hummed and hawed a good deal, and asked
the second, 'But what shall be your spoon?'

'The rib of a whale shall be our silver spoon.'

The Dragon-made a face, and growled again three times, 'Hum, hum, hum,'
and said to the third, 'Do you know what your wineglass shall be?'

'An old horse's hoof shall be our wineglass.'

Then the Dragon flew away with a loud shriek, and had no more power over
them. But the three soldiers took the little whip, whipped as much money
as they wanted, and lived happily to their lives end.

THE DONKEY CABBAGE

There was once a young Hunter who went boldly into the forest. He had a
merry and light heart, and as he went whistling along there came an ugly
old woman, who said to him, 'Good-day, dear hunter! You are very merry
and contented, but I suffer hunger and thirst, so give me a trifle.' The
Hunter was sorry for the poor old woman, and he felt in his pocket and
gave her all he could spare. He was going on then, but the old woman
stopped him and said, 'Listen, dear hunter, to what I say. Because of
your kind heart I will make you a present. Go on your way, and in a
short time you will come to a tree on which sit nine birds who have a
cloak in their claws and are quarrelling over it. Then take aim with
your gun and shoot in the middle of them; they will let the cloak fall,
but one of the birds will be hit and will drop down dead. Take the cloak
with you; it is a wishing-cloak, and when you throw it on your shoulders
you have only to wish yourself at a certain place, and in the twinkling
of an eye you are there. Take the heart out of the dead bird and swallow
it whole, and early every morning when you get up you will find a gold
piece under your pillow.'

The Hunter thanked the wise woman, and thought to himself 'These are
splendid things she has promised me,