第503页 / 共626页

'Oh, trouble not yourself about that,' said the dwarf; 'only

undertake to bring me here, twelve years hence, whatever meets

you first on your going home, and I will give you as much as you

please.' The merchant thought this was no great thing to ask;

that it would most likely be his dog or his cat, or something of

that sort, but forgot his little boy Heinel; so he agreed to the

bargain, and signed and sealed the bond to do what was asked of

him.

But as he drew near home, his little boy was so glad to see him

that he crept behind him, and laid fast hold of his legs, and

looked up in his face and laughed. Then the father started,

trembling with fear and horror, and saw what it was that he had

bound himself to do; but as no gold was come, he made himself

easy by thinking that it was only a joke that the dwarf was

playing him, and that, at any rate, when the money came, he

should see the bearer, and would not take it in.