Seize the traitor!" he cried.
But that was easier said than done, for, quick as a wink, as they
came to lay hold of him, the soldier whisked the feather cap from
his pocket and clapped it upon his head, and then they might as
well have hoped to find the south wind in winter as to find him.
But though he got safe away from that trouble he was deep enough
in the dumps, you may be sure of that. Away he went, out into the
wide world, leaving that town behind him. Away he went, until
by-and-by he came to a great forest, and for three days he
travelled on and on--he knew not whither. On the third night, as
he sat beside a fire which he had built to keep him warm, he
suddenly bethought himself of the little round stone which had
dropped from the bird's claw, and which he still had in his
pocket. "Why should it not also help me," said he, "for there
must be some wonder about it." So he brought it out, and sat
looking at it and looking at it, but he could make nothing of it
for the life of him. Nevertheless, it might have some wishing
power about it, like the magic stool. "I wish," said the soldier,
"that I might get out of this scrape." That is what we have all
wished many and many a time in a like case; but just now it did
the soldier no more good to wish than it does good for the rest
of us. "Bah!" said he, "it is nothing but a black stone after
all." And then he threw it into the fire.
Pages:
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33