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He glared at the girls with his fiery red eyes and cried: 'Why do

you stand there? Can you not come here and help me?' 'What are

you up to, little man?' asked Rose-red. 'You stupid, prying

goose!' answered the dwarf: 'I was going to split the tree to get

a little wood for cooking. The little bit of food that we people

get is immediately burnt up with heavy logs; we do not swallow so

much as you coarse, greedy folk. I had just driven the wedge

safely in, and everything was going as I wished; but the cursed

wedge was too smooth and suddenly sprang out, and the tree closed

so quickly that I could not pull out my beautiful white beard; so

now it is tight and I cannot get away, and the silly, sleek,

milk-faced things laugh! Ugh! how odious you are!'