tower was whirring before it struck eight when he woke,
leapt out of bed, and rushed to the golden snuff-box. But he had
forgotten where he had put it, and so the clock had _really_ begun to
strike before he found it under his pillow, opened it, and gabbled out
his orders. And then you never saw how the three little red men tumbled
over each other and yawned and stretched and made haste all at one time,
so that Jack thought his life would surely be forfeit. But just as the
clock struck its last chime, out rang a peal of merry bells, and there
was the Castle standing on twelve golden pillars and a church beside it
in the middle of the lake. And the Castle was all decorated for the
wedding, and there were crowds and crowds of servants and retainers, all
dressed in their Sunday best.

Never had Jack seen such a sight before; neither had the gay young
daughter who, of course, was looking out of the next window in her
nightcap. And she looked so pretty and so gay that Jack felt quite cross
when he had to step back to let the three little red men fly to their
golden snuff-box. But they were far crosser than he was, and mumbled and
grumbled at the hustle, so that Jack was quite glad when they shut the
box down and began to snore.

Well, of course, Jack and the gay young daughter were married, and were
as happy as the day is long; and Jack had fine clothes to wear, fine
food to eat, fine servants to wait on him, and as many fine friends as
he liked.

So he was in luck; but he had yet to learn that a mother's malison is
sure to bring misfortune some time or another.

Thus it happened that one day when he was going a-hunting with all the
ladies and gentlemen, Jack forgot to change the golden snuff-box (which
he always carried about with him for fear of accidents) from his
waistcoat pocket to that of his scarlet hunting-coat; so he left it
behind him. And what should happen but that the servant let it fall on
the ground when he was folding up the clothes, and the snuff-box flew
open and out popped the three little red men yawning and stretching.

Well! when they found out that they hadn't really been summoned, and
that there was no fear of death, they were in a towering temper and said
they had a great mind to fly away with the Castle, golden pillars and
all.

On hearing this the servant pricked up his ears.

"Could you do that?" he asked.

"Could we?" they said, and they laughed loud. "Why, we can do anything."

Then