From Sweden
Once upon a time there was a lovely young girl, daughter of rich parents, who was known for her gentleness and goodness.
One night, while she was lying awake in her bed, watching the moonbeams dance on the floor, her door was softly opened. Then in tripped a little Fairy man clad in a gray jacket and red cap. He came lightly toward her bed, nodding in a most friendly way.
“Do not be afraid, dear lady,” he said. “I have come to ask a favour of you.”
“And I will do it willingly, if I can,” answered the girl, who had begun to recover from her fright.
“Oh, it will not be difficult!” said the Fairy man. “For many years I and mine have lived under the floor of your kitchen, just where the water-cask stands. But the cask has become old and leaky, so that we are continually annoyed by the dripping of water. Our home is never dry.”
“That shall be seen to in the morning,” said the girl.
“Thank you, dear lady,” said the Fairy man, and making an elegant bow, he disappeared as softly as he had come.
The next day, at the girl’s request, her parents had the water-cask removed. And after that, to the surprise of the servants, the kitchen-work was done at night when all slept, and never a pitcher or glass was broken in the house from that day forth. So the Fairies showed their gratitude.
Well, a few months after this, the pretty young girl was again lying awake in her bed, watching the moonbeams dance on the floor, when again her door was opened softly, and the Fairy man stole in.