GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES - online book

130 Fairy Stories Adapted & Arranged for young people

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	372                     THE SILVER AXE.
	The scholar said, " Give me what you have, the overplus I will lend you." The goldsmith then gave him three hundred dollars, and there remained one hundred owing. Thereupon the scholar went home to his father, and said, " Father, I have money now. Go and ask our neighbour how much he wants for his axe." "I know that already," he replied. "One dollar and six groschens." "Ah! well; then you can give him two dollars and twelve groschens. That is just double, and I am sure it is enough. See here, I have money in abundance." And as he gave his father one hundred dollars, he said, " We shall never miss the two dollars; for there is still quite enough for us to live at our ease." "Good heavens!" cried the father. "Where have all these riches come from ?" Then the boy related what had happened to him in the wood, and how he had trusted the bottle spirit, and what a good fortune he had made. With all this money the scholar was again able to go to the High School, and continue his education; and as he was not only clever, but had in his possession a plaster that could heal every wound, he became the most renowned doctor in the whole world.
	One day a countryman fetched his boxwood stick out of the field, and said to his wife, " Irine, I am going away into the country, and shall return in three days. If the cattle-dealer should come to trade with us, and wish to buy our three cows, you can let him see them; but you must not allow them to go for less than two hundred dollars—not a farthing less, do you hear?" " Be off with you if you are going," she replied. " I will do as you say." " I hope you will," he cried. " But you are little better than a child who has fallen on its head. You'll forget all I have told you in an hour. But J can only promise you that if you make a stupid