coin. But I do wish my
old tinder-box. My grandmother left it behind her, the last time she
went down the tree."

"Well, tie the rope round my waist," said the soldier.

"Here it is," said the witch, "and here is my blue checked apron. It
is very important."

Up the tree climbed the soldier, into the tree he crept through the
hole at the top, and down, down the hollow inside he slipped, and
there he was, in a wide passage, lighted, as the witch had said, by a
hundred burning lamps.

The soldier unlocked the first door he saw. There sat the dog with
eyes as big as saucers, staring at him in great surprise.

"I must obey my orders," thought the soldier.

He placed the witch's apron on the floor, seized the dog bravely, and
placed him on the apron.

Then he opened the box. It was full of copper coins. He crammed as
many as he could into his pocket, shut the lid, placed the dog again
on the box, and passed on to the second door.

He unlocked it. Yes! there sat another dog on another box, with great
eyes, as big as mill-wheels.

"If you stare at me so hard, you will hurt your eyes," said the
soldier, and thought what a joke he had made. Then he seized the dog,
placed it on the witch's apron, and raised the lid of the second box.

Silver, every coin was silver! The soldier threw away all his copper
coins in a great hurry. He must have silver. He stuffed his pockets
and his knapsack with the silver coins, and clapped his hands. He was
rich now.

On he went to the third room. He unlocked it. There indeed was another
box and another dog, and oh, horrible! the soldier almost shut his
eyes. The dog had eyes, great big rolling eyes, eyes as large as the
Round Tower. And they would not keep still. No, round and round they
rolled.

But the soldier was brave; he had been to the wars.

"Good evening," he said, and he lifted his hat respectfully, for never
before in all his life, had he seen so big, so enormous a creature.

Then he walked straight up to the dog. Could he lift him? Yes, he
took the immense animal in his arms, set him on the witch's apron, and
opened the third box.

Gold! It was full of gold. He would be able to buy the whole town,
and all the sugar-plums, and all the tin soldiers, and all the
rocking-horses and whips in the world.

The soldier was delighted. He threw away his silver money. Silver! He
did not want silver. Here was gold, gold!

He filled his pockets and his knapsack, but he could not