p.

He slept a long time, and when he awoke he found himself in the most
beautiful bed that could be, such as he had never seen the like of in
his father's house, and it was in the prettiest chamber in the world,
and his servant was beside him with a fan to keep away the flies and
gnats. He had hardly opened his eyes when his little servant brought him
a basin and towel, and held him the nicest new clothes of brown silk to
put on, most beautifully made. With these was a pair of new black shoes
with red ribbons, such as John had never beheld in Rambin or in
Rodinkirchen either. There were also there several pairs of beautiful
shining glass shoes, such as are only used on great occasions. John was,
as we may well suppose, delighted to have such clothes to wear, and he
put them upon him joyfully. His servant then flew like lightning, and
returned with a breakfast of wine and milk, and beautiful white bread
and fruits, and such other things as boys are fond of. He now perceived
every moment more and more, that Klas Starkwolt, the old cowherd, knew
what he was talking about, for the splendour and magnificence he saw
here surpassed anything he had ever dreamt of. His servant, too, was the
most obedient one possible, a nod or a sign was enough for him, for he
was as wise as a bee, as all these little people are by nature John's
bedchamber was all covered with emeralds and other precious stones, and
in the ceiling was a diamond as big as a nine-pin bowl, that gave light
to the whole chamber. In this place they have neither sun nor moon nor
stars to give them light, neither do they use lamps or candlesticks of
any kind, but they live in the midst of precious stones, and have the
purest of gold and silver in abundance, and the skill to make it light
both by day and night, though indeed, properly speaking, as there is no
sun there, there is no distinction between day and night, and they
reckon only by weeks. They set the brightest and clearest precious
stones in their dwellings, and in the ways and passages leading
underground, and in the places where they had their large halls, and
their dances and their feasts, where they sparkled so as to make it
eternal day.

When John had finished breakfast, his servant opened a little door in
the wall, where was a closet with the most beautiful silver and gold
cups and dishes and other vessels and baskets filled with ducats and
boxes of jewels and precious stones. There were also charming p