Seite 467 von 626

After this the second son went into the forest, and his mother

gave him, like the eldest, a cake and a bottle of wine. The

little old grey man met him likewise, and asked him for a piece

of cake and a drink of wine. But the second son, too, said

sensibly enough: 'What I give you will be taken away from myself;

be off!' and he left the little man standing and went on. His

punishment, however, was not delayed; when he had made a few

blows at the tree he struck himself in the leg, so that he had to

be carried home.

Then Dummling said: 'Father, do let me go and cut wood.' The

father answered: 'Your brothers have hurt themselves with it,

leave it alone, you do not understand anything about it.' But

Dummling begged so long that at last he said: 'Just go then, you

will get wiser by hurting yourself.' His mother gave him a cake

made with water and baked in the cinders, and with it a bottle of

sour beer.