THE TINDER-BOX. 27

inside. You must climb to the top, and then you’ll sce a hole,
through which you can let yourself down and get deep into the
tree. I'll tie a rope round your body, so that I can pull you up
again when you call me.” :

“ What am I to do down in the tree?” asked the soldier.

“ Get money,” replied the witch. ‘Listen tome. When you
come down to the earth under the tree, you will find yourself in
a great hall: it is quite light, for above three hundred lamps are
burning there. Then you wil. see three doors ; these you can
open, for the keys are hanging there. If you go into the first
chamber, you’!l see a great chest in the middle of the floor ; on
this chest sits a dog, and he’s got a pair of eyes as big as two
tea-cups. But you need not carefor that. 17ll give you my blue-
checked apron, and you can spread it out upon the floor; then go
up quickly and take the dog, and set him on my apron; then
open the chest, and take as many shillings as you like. They
are of copper: if you prefer silver, you must go into the second
chamber. But there sits a dog with a pair of eyes as big as mill-
wheels. But do not you care for that. Set him upon my apron,
and take some of the money. And if you want gold, you can
have that too—in fact, as much as you can carry—if you go into
the third chamber. But the dog that sits on the money-chest
there has two eyes as big as round towers. He is a fierce dog,
you may be sure ; but you needn’t be afraid, for all that. Only
set him on my apron, and he won’t hurt you ; and take out of
the chest as much gold as you like.”

“‘That’s not so bad,” said the soldier. ‘“ But what am I to
give you, you old witch? for you will not do it for nothing, I
fancy.”

“No,” replied the witch, “not a single shilling will I have.
You shall only bring me an old tinder-box which my grandmother
forgot when she was down there last.” : :

“Then tie the rope round my body,” cried the soldier.

“Here it is,” said the witch, “and here’s my blue-checked
apron.”

Then the soldier climbed up into the tree, let himself slip down
into the hole, and stood, as the witch had said, in the great hall
where the three hundred lamps were burning.

Now he opened the first door. Ugh! there sat the dog with
eyes as big as tea-cups, staring at him. “ You ’re a nice fellow!”
exclaimed the soldier; and he sat him on the witch’s apron, and
took as many copper shillings as his pockets would hold, and
then locked the chest, set the dog on it again, and went into the
second chamber. Aha! there sat the dog with eyes as big as
mill-wheels.

“You should not stare so hard at me,” said the soldier ; “ you
might strain your eyes.” And he set the dog upon the witch’s
apron. And when he saw the silver money in the chest, he threw