LITMIR.BIZ

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      The old woman says to her son before leaving, “Well, well, my poor boy, if you want to go, it’s better for you to go, and God be with you[137].” (The old woman thought for the best when she said that.) “But stop a bit before you go. Which would you like best for me to make you, a little cake and bless you, or a big cake and curse you?”

      “Dear, dear!” said he, “make me a big cake. Maybe I shall be hungry on the road.”

      The old woman made the big cake, and she went on top of the house, and she cursed him as far as she could see him.

      He presently meets with his father, and the old man says to him, “Where are you going, my poor boy?”

      And he said, “I see nothing at all here but great trees around me. If I stay here, maybe I shall go mad before I see anything.”

      “Well,” says his father, “I’m sorry to see you going away[138], but if you decided to go, it’s better for you to go.”

      The poor lad had not gone far when his father called him back. Then the old man drew out of his pocket a golden snuff-box, and said to him, “Here, take this little box and put it in your pocket and be sure not to open it[139] till you are near your death.”

      And away went poor Jack upon his road[140] and walked till he was tired and hungry, for he had eaten all his cake upon the road. By this time night was upon him, so he could hardly see his way before him. He could see some light a long way before him, and he came to it. He found the back door and knocked at it, till one of the maid-servants came and asked him what he wanted. He said that night was on him and he wanted to get some place to sleep. The maidservant called him in to the fire and gave him plenty to eat, good meat and bread and beer. While he was eating his food by the fire, there came the young lady to look at him, and she loved him well[141], and he loved her. And the young lady ran to tell her father and said there was a pretty young man in the back kitchen. Immediately, the gentleman came to him and questioned him and asked what work he could do. Jack said, the silly fellow, that he could do anything.

      “Well,” says the gentleman to him, “if you can do anything, at eight o’clock in the morning, I must have a great lake and some big ships sailing before my mansion. And one of the largest ships must fire a royal salute[142], and the last round must break the leg of the bed where my young daughter is sleeping. And if you don’t do that, you will have to forfeit your life[143].”

      “All right,” said Jack, and away he went to his bed. He said his prayers quietly and slept till it was near eight o’clock. He had hardly any time to think what he was to do when suddenly he remembered about the little golden box that his father gave him. And he said to himself, “Well, well, I never was so near my death as I am now,” and then he felt in his pocket and drew the little box out.

      When he opened it, out there hopped[144] three little red men and asked Jack, “What is your will with us?[145]”

      “Well,” said Jack, “I want a great lake and the biggest ships in the world before this mansion. And one of the largest ships must fire a royal salute, and the last round must break one of the legs of the bed where this young lady is sleeping.”

      “All right,” said the little men, “go to sleep.”

      It struck eight o’clock when Jack jumped out of bed to look through the window. He saw the biggest ships in the world! It was a wonderful sight for him to see, after being so long[146] with his father and mother living in a wood. Bang! Bang! he heard the largest ships fire a royal salute. The last round broke one of the legs of the bed where the young lady was sleeping.