Dummling；　and　was　despised；　mocked；　and　sneered　at　on　every　occasion。
  It　happened　that　the　eldest　wanted　to　go　into　the　forest　to　hew　wood；
  and　before　he　went　his　mother　gave　him　a　beautiful　sweet　cake　and　a
  bottle　of　wine　in　order　that　he　might　not　suffer　from　hunger　or
  thirst。
  When　he　entered　the　forest　he　met　a　little　grey…haired　old　man　who
  bade　him　good…day；　and　said；　do　give　me　a　piece　of　cake　out　of　your
  pocket；　and　let　me　have　a　draught　of　your　wine；　I　am　so　hungry　and
  thirsty。　　But　the　clever　son　answered；　if　I　give　you　my　cake　and
  wine；　I　shall　have　none　for　myself；　be　off　with　you；　and　he　left　the
  little　man　standing　and　went　on。
  But　when　he　began　to　hew　down　a　tree；　it　was　not　long　before　he　made
  a　false　stroke；　and　the　axe　cut　him　in　the　arm；　so　that　he　had　to　go
  home　and　have　it　bound　up。　　And　this　was　the　little　grey　man's　doing。
  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。
  When　he　came　to　the　forest　the　little　old　grey　man　met　him　likewise；
  and　greeting　him；　said；　give　me　a　piece　of　your　cake　and　a　drink　out
  of　your　bottle；　I　am　so　hungry　and　thirsty。
  Dummling　answered；　I　have　only　cinder…cake　and　sour　beer；　if　that
  pleases　you；　we　will　sit　down　and　eat。　　So　they　sat　down；　and　when
  Dummling　pulled　out　his　cinder…cake；　it　was　a　fine　sweet　cake；　and
  the　sour　beer　had　become　good　wine。　　So　they　ate　and　drank；　and　after
  that　the　little　man　said；　since　you　have　a　good　heart；　and　are
  willing　to　divide　what　you　have；　I　will　give　you　good　luck。　There
  stands　an　old　tree；　cut　it　down；　and　you　will　find　something　at　the
  roots。　　Then　the　little　man　took　leave　of　him。
  Dummling　went　and　cut　down　the　tree；　and　when　it　fell　there　was　a
  goose　sitting　in　the　roots　with　feathers　of　pure　gold。　He　lifted　her
  up；　and　taking　her　with　him；　went　to　an　inn　where　he　thought　he　would
  stay　the　night。　　Now　the　host　had　three　daughters；　who　saw　the　goose
  and　were　curious　to　know　what　such　a　wonderful　bird　might　be；　and
  would　have　liked　to　have　one　of　its　golden　feathers。
  The　eldest　thought；　I　shall　soon　find　an　opportunity　of　pulling　out　a
  feather；　and　as　soon　as　Dummling　had　gone　out　she　seized　the　goose　by
  the　wing；　but　her　finger　and　hand　remained　sticking　fast　to　it。
  The　second　came　soon　afterwards；　thinking　only　of　how　she　might　get　a
  feather　for　herself；　but　she　had　scarcely　touched　her　sister　than　she
  was　held　fast。
  At　last　the　third　also　came　with　the　like　intent；　and　the　others
  screamed　out；　keep　away；　for　goodness；　sake　keep　away。　　But　she　did
  not　understand　why　she　was　to　keep　away。　　The　others　are　there；　she
  thought；　I　may　as　well　be　there　too；　and　ran　to　them；　but　as　soon　as
  she　had　touched　her　sister；　she　remained　sticking　fast　to　her。　　So
  they　had　to　spend　the　night　with　the　goose。
  The　next　morning　Dummling　took　the　goose　under　his　arm　and　set　out；
  without　troubling　himself　about　the　three　girls　who　were　hanging　on
  to　it。　　They　were　obliged　to　run　after　him　continually；　now　left；　now
  right；　wherever　his　legs　took　him。
  In　the　middle　of　the　fields　the　parson　met　them；　and　when　he　saw　the
  procession　he　said；　for　shame；　you　good…for…nothing　girls；　why　are
  you　running　across　the　fields　after　this　young　man。　　Is　that　seemly？
  At　the　same　time　he　seized　the　youngest　by　the　hand　in　order　to　pull
  her　away；　but　as　soon　as　he　touched　her　he　likewise　stuck　fast；　and
  was　himself　obliged　to　run　behind。
  Before　long　the　sexton　came　by　and　saw　his　master；　the　parson；
  running　behind　three　girls。　　He　was　astonished　at　this　and　called
  out；　hi；　your　reverence；　whither　away　so　quickly。　　Do　not　forget　that
  we　have　a　christening　to…day；　and　running　after　him　he　took　him　by
  the　sleeve；　but　was　also　held　fast　to　it。　Whilst　the　five　were
  trotting　thus　one　behind　the　other；　two　laborers　came　with　their　hoes
  from　the　fields；　the　parson　called　out　to　them　and　begged　that　they
  would　set　him　and　the　sexton　free。　　But　they　had　scarcely　touched　the
  sexton　when　they　were　held　fast；　and　now　there　were　seven　of　them
  running　behind　Dummling　and　the　goose。
  Soon　afterwards　he　came　to　a　city；　where　a　king　ruled　who　had　a
  daughter　who　was　so　serious　that　no　one　could　make　her　laugh。　　So　he
  had　put　forth　a　decree　that　whosoever　should　be　able　to　make　her
  laugh　should　marry　her。　　When　Dummling　heard　this；　he　went　with　his
  goose　and　all　her　train　before　the　king's　daughter；　and　as　soon　as
  she　saw　the　seven　people　running　on　and　on；　one　behind　the　other；　she
  began　to　laugh　quite　loudly；　and　as　if　she　would　never　stop。
  Thereupon　Dummling　asked　to　have　her　for　his　wife；　but　the　king　did
  not　like　the　son…in…law；　and　made　all　manner　of　excuses　and　said　he
  must　first　produce　a　man　who　could　drink　a　cellarful　of　wine。
  Dummling　thought　of　the　little　grey　man；　who　could　certainly　help
  him；　so　he　went　into　the　forest；　and　in　the　same　place　where　he　had
  felled　the　tree；　he　saw　a　man　sitting；　who　had　a　very　sorrowful　face。
  Dummling　asked　him　what　he　was　taking　to　heart　so　sorely；　and　he
  answered；　I　have　such　a　great　thirst　and　cannot　quench　it；　cold　water
  I　cannot　stand；　a　barrel　of　wine　I　have　just　emptied；　but　that　to　me
  is　like　a　drop　on　a　hot　stone。
  There；　I　can　help　you；　said　Dummling；　just　come　with　me　and　you　shall
  be　satisfied。
  He　led　him　into　the　king's　cellar；　and　the　man　bent　over　the　huge
  barrels；　and　drank　and　drank　till　his　loins　hurt；　and　before　the　day
  was　out　he　had　emptied　all　the　barrels。　　Then　Dummling　asked　once
  more　for　his　bride；　but　the　king　was　vexed　that　such　an　ugly　fellow；
  whom　everyone　called　Dummling；　should　take　away　his　daughter；　and　he
  made　a　new　condition；　he　must　first　find　a　man　who　could　eat　a　whole
  mountain　of　bread。　　Dummling　did　not　think　long；　but　went　straight
  into　the　forest；　where　in　the　same　place　there　sat　a　man　who　was
  tying　up　his　body　with　a　strap；　and　making　an　awful　face；　and　saying；
  I　have　eaten　a　whole　ovenful　of　rolls；　but　what　good　is　that　when　one
  has　such　a　hunger　as　I。　　My　stomach　remains　empty；　and　I　must　tie
  myself　up　if　I　am　not　to　die　of　hunger。
  At　this　Dummling　was　glad；　and　said；　get　up　and　come　with　me；　you
  shall　eat　yourself　full。　　He　led　him　to　the　king's　palace；　where　all
  the　flour　in　the　whole　kingdom　was　collected；　and　from　it　he　caused　a
  huge　mountain　of　bread　to　be　baked。　　The　man　from　the　forest　stood
  before　it；　began　to　eat；　and　by　the　end　of　one　day　the　whole　mountain
  had　vanished。　　Then　Dummling　for　the　third　time　asked　for　his　bride；
  but　the　king　again　sought　a　way　out；　and　ordered　a　ship　which　could
  sail　on　land　and　on　water。　　As　soon　as　you　come　sailing　back　in　it；
  said　he；　you　shall　have　my　daughter　for　wife。
  Dummling　went　straight　into　the　forest；　and　there　sat　the　little　grey
  man　to　whom　he　had　given　his　cake。　　When　he　heard　what　Dummling
  wanted；　he　said；　since　you　have　given　me　to　eat　and　to　drink；　I　will
  give　you　the　ship；　and　I　do　all　this　because　you　once　were　kind　to
  me。　　Then　he　gave　him　the　ship　which　could　sail　on　land　and　water；
  and　when　the　king　saw　that；　he　could　no　longer　prevent　him　from
  having　his　daughter。　　The　wedding　was　celebrated；　and　after　the
  king's　death；　Dummling　inherited　his　kingdom　and　lived　for　a　long
  time　contentedly　with　his　wife。