The rich Peter’s fine house was no longer standing; the lightning had struck it and burnt it to the ground, with all its treasures; but the hut that had been his father’s was not far off. Thither they turned their steps, and even this heavy loss did not trouble them much. But what was their amazement when they reached the hut, and found in its stead a comfortable peasant’s house! Everything in it was simple, but good and clean.
“Our kind little Glass-man has done this!” cried Peter.
“How beautiful!” said Mistress Lisbeth; “and I feel much more at home here than in that large house with all those servants.”
From this time forth Peter Munk became a worthy and industrious man. He was content with what he had, and followed his calling cheerfully, and so it came about that he gathered some wealth together by his own efforts, and was respected and beloved throughout the forest. He no longer found fault with his wife, he honoured his mother, and gave to the needy who came to his door. When, after a year and a day, Mistress Lisbeth became the mother of a fine little boy, Peter went once more to the “Pine-thicket,” and repeated his charm. But no little Glass-man appeared.
“Master Treasure-keeper,” cried Peter, “do but hear me! I have only come to beg you to be my little son’s godfather. I want nothing else.”
There was no answer, only a puff of wind stirred the pine-trees above, and cast one or two fir-cones down upon the grass.
“Well,” cried Peter again, “I will take these with me as a remembrance, since thou wilt not show thyself.” And he put the fir-cones in his pocket and went home; but when he took off his Sunday jerkin, and his mother turned the pockets out before putting it away in the chest, there fell from them four great rolls of money, which proved to be good, new thalers of the realm, and there was not a single false one among them. And this was baby Peter’s christening-gift from the little man in the pine-forest.
So they lived on, quiet and contented; and many a time, when Peter Munk’s hair was already turning white, he would be heard to say: “It is better, after all, to be happy with little, than to have money and goods, and a cold heart.”
THE END
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