e woods are all sleeping,
O guard us, we pray!"

The merchant thought that he had never listened to anything so
beautiful.

After the old German song, Herman said:

"Let us pray--will you kneel with us, traveler? You may have need of
our prayers, for you have come in to us at your peril."

Much astonished at these words, the merchant knelt down beside his
portmanteau. The collier began to pray, when there was a light sound
at the storm-door, and a draft of wind stirred the ashes.

The merchant turned his face towards the door.

A strange sight met his gaze, such as he had never seen before.
A little dwarf stood there with eyes like coal and with a red mantle.
He moved the door to and fro. His eyes gleamed. He looked like a
burning image. At last, swaying the door, he gave the merchant an evil
glance that seemed to burn out his very soul, and was gone.

The prayer ended, and the family rose from their knees.

"I will now show you to your chamber," said the collier; "but before
we go up, listen to me. If you do not think one evil thought or speak
one evil word during the night, no harm will befall you. Promise me
now that you will not think one evil thought or speak one evil word,
whatever may befall you."

"I promise you, good people, that I will try not to think one evil
thought or to speak one evil word, whatsoever may befall me."

"And you must not give way to anger; if you do, anger is fire, and he
will grow!" said the collier.

The collier led the merchant up the stairs to his room and left him
there, saying, "Remember."

The moon shone into the room. The Swiss cuckoo clock struck
ten--eleven--twelve. The merchant could not sleep. He was haunted by
the fiery eyes that he had seen at the storm-door.

Suddenly the door of his own chamber opened, and a red light filled
the room. The same dwarf with the red mantle had entered the chamber
and was approaching the bed.

The merchant had laid his portmanteau of jewels upon the foot of the
bed, with the straps hanging over the bedside. He put his foot down
under the clothes so as to touch the case.

The light grew brighter, and advanced nearer. Now the dwarf stood full
in view, his eyes flashing, and his feet moving as cautiously, his head
now and then turned aside, and his hands lifting the red mantle.

He came to the foot of the bed, and stood there for a time. The mercha