grey man, who begged him for a morsel of cake and a
draught of wine.

But the second son spoke most sensibly too, and said: 'Whatever I give
to you I deprive myself of. Just go your own way, will you?' Not long
after his punishment overtook him, for no sooner had he struck a couple
of blows on a tree with his axe, than he cut his leg so badly that he
had to be carried home.

So then Dullhead said: 'Father, let me go out and cut wood.'

But his father answered: 'Both your brothers have injured themselves.
You had better leave it alone; you know nothing about it.'

But Dullhead begged so hard to be allowed to go that at last his father
said: 'Very well, then--go. Perhaps when you have hurt yourself, you may
learn to know better.' His mother only gave him a very plain cake made
with water and baked in the cinders, and a bottle of sour beer.

When he got to the forest, he too met the little grey old man, who
greeted him and said: 'Give me a piece of your cake and a draught from
your bottle; I am so hungry and thirsty.'

And Dullhead replied: 'I've only got a cinder-cake and some sour beer,
but if you care to have that, let us sit down and eat.'

So they sat down, and when Dullhead brought out his cake he found it
had turned into a fine rich cake, and the sour beer into excellent wine.
Then they ate and drank, and when they had finished the little man
said: 'Now I will bring you luck, because you have a kind heart and are
willing to share what you have with others. There stands an old tree;
cut it down, and amongst its roots you'll find something.' With that the
little man took leave.

Then Dullhead fell to at once to hew down the tree, and when it fell he
found amongst its roots a goose, whose feathers were all of pure gold.
He lifted it out, carried it off, and took it with him to an inn where
he meant to spend the night.

Now the landlord of the inn had three daughters, and when they saw the
goose they were filled with curiosity as to what this wonderful bird
could be, and each longed to have one of its golden feathers.

The eldest thought to herself: 'No doubt I shall soon find a good
opportunity to pluck out one of its feathers,' and the first time
Dullhead happened to leave the room she caught hold of the goose by its
wing. But, lo and behold! her fingers seemed to stick fast to the goose,
and she could not take her hand away.

Soon after the second daughter came in, and thought to pluck a golden
feather