“HANS AT ONCE SAW THAT IT WAS A DRAGON.”
He was a quaint-looking little man, almost a dwarf, but when he took the child in his arms and began to soothe and quiet it, his face was so kind and gentle, that Hans, who had expected to pass the night out-of-doors, gladly accepted his offer to go home with him and stay the night.
They walked on a long way, pussy always trotting by her young master’s side, till at length they came to a big stone or rock.
Here the dwarf paused, and, knocking three times, the stone opened. Then the dwarf bade Hans enter, and, giving three taps, the stone again closed.
When Hans looked round, he was surprised to find himself in a fine large room, fitted up with every comfort; great couches, spread with soft rugs, ran along two sides; in one corner was the hearth, on which a bright fire was burning; and on the other side was a table with some chairs beside it, and covered with various papers and quaint instruments.
The old man put the child into a pretty little cot, and after he and Hans had partaken of some food, he invited the latter to rest.
Hans, nothing loath, threw himself on one of the couches, with his cat beside him, and, thoroughly tired out with all the excitement of his departure and the long distance he had walked, fell asleep almost as soon as his head rested on the pillow. But even in his sleep he heard the dwarf working at his papers during the greater part of the night
Next morning, after they had breakfasted and Hans was ready to start forth on his travels, the dwarf again thanked him for his timely rescue.
“I can never be grateful enough to you for saving my child,” he continued. “And now I am going to give you three things, which I hope will be useful to you, though nothing can ever cancel my debt to you.”