The Tinderbox

A soldier was coming home from the war, with his pack on his back and his sword at his side. On the road he saw an old witch. The witch said, "Climb down into the hollow of that tree. There are three rooms; in each is a chest with a dog sitting on it. The first has eyes as big as teacups, the second as big as plates, the third as big as towers. Spread my apron on the floor, set the dogs on it and take as much money from the chests as you like. Bring me only an old tinderbox."

The soldier climbed down. Copper, silver, gold; he filled his pockets, his boots and his pack. He took the tinderbox too. When he climbed back up he asked the witch, "Why do you want the tinderbox?" The witch would not say. The soldier kept the tinderbox for himself and sent the witch packing.

In the city he lived a rich life. He heard that the princess was shut up in a tower; a prophecy had said, "She will marry a soldier." When his money ran out he moved to an attic. He had no money for a candle; he struck the tinderbox. Pop! The dog with eyes as big as teacups appeared: "Master, your command?" The soldier was startled: "Bring money." The dog came back with a purse of gold. One strike brought the first dog, two strikes the second, three strikes the third.

One night the soldier said to the dog, "Bring the princess, I only want to see her." The dog brought the sleeping princess on its back, then took her home again. In the morning the princess said, "In my dream a dog carried me to a soldier." The queen set a lady-in-waiting to watch; she followed the dog and drew a chalk cross on the door. When the dog saw it, it drew crosses on every door in the city. This time the queen tied a bag of flour with a hole in it to the princess's back; the flour trickled out all along the way. The soldier was caught and thrown into the dungeon.

On the morning of his execution the soldier told a boy his last wish: "Bring my tinderbox from my house." On the gallows he asked the king for permission to smoke one last pipe. He struck the tinderbox once, twice, three times. The three giant dogs sprang out, tossed the king and the queen into the air and scattered the soldiers. The people shouted: "Let the soldier be our king!"

The soldier married the princess. At the wedding the three dogs sat at the table too; with eyes as big as teacups, plates and towers, and all of them were laughing.