There was once a goose-girl named Kora, who used to herd her master’s geese in a certain field. Now at one end of this field there was a grassy mound, inside which lived a very rich and wicked troll, who came every day to his doorway to watch the goose-girl as she sat in the shadow of a hollow tree, knitting and singing, and minding her geese. “She is so cheerful and industrious,” said he to himself, “that doubtless she would make a very good wife.”
But one day when he stood at his threshold to look at her, he saw that she had let her knitting fall into her lap, and that instead of singing, she was weeping bitterly. Very cautiously he crept up behind her, and touched her gently on the arm. Kora started and screamed when she caught sight of the troll, for he was ugly and misshapen, and had an uncommonly large head.
“Why are you crying, my girl?” he asked.
“Because one of my geese has strayed,” said she, “and I have sought for it till I am tired out, and I know that my master will be very angry with me.”
“That is soon mended,” replied the troll, “for in my house I have a magic crystal, which tells me where I may find all lost and missing things. Come with me, pretty maid, and I will see what I can do for you.”
So Kora followed him joyfully into the little house within the knoll, and looked with great curiosity at the wonderful crystal. She noticed that it bore the following inscription:—
“In all the world there is but one spot,
Unknown to men, by fays forgot,
Wherein my power availeth not.”
But she did not pay much attention to the words at the time.