Then the little man said, "What will you give me if I will spin it for you?"
"This string of gold beads from my neck," said the girl.
The little man took the beads, and, sitting down, began to spin.
Whir! whir! went the wheel; round and round it whirled.
Lo, as the maiden looked, she saw the coarse straw turn into beautiful golden threads.
The little man kept so busily at work that soon all the straw was gone, and in its place lay a heap of the finest gold.
The next morning the king unlocked the door. How his eyes sparkled at the sight of the gold!
These riches made the king even more greedy than before.
He led the maiden to a still larger chamber, which was full of straw.
Turning to the trembling girl, he said, "There is your spinning wheel, and here is the straw. If you do not spin all of it into gold by morning, your head shall be cut off."