Grimm's Fairy Tales [antikvár]

THE GOLDEN GOOSE There was once a man who had three sons, the youngest of whom was nämed Dummling, and on that account was despised and slighted, and put back on every occasion. It happened that the eldest wished to go into the forest to hew wood, and before he went his mother gave him a fine large pancake and a bottle of wine to take with him. Just as he got into the forest he met a gray old man, who bade him good-day, and said, ' Give me a piece of your pancake and a sip of your wine, for I am very hungry and thirsty.' The prudent youth, however, would not, saying, * If I should give you my cake and wine, I shall have nothing left for myself. No; pack off!' and he left the man there and went onwards. He now began to hew down a tree, but he had not made many strokes before he missed his aim, and the axe cut into his arm so deeply that he was forced to go home and have it bound up. But this wound came from the little old man. Afterwards the second son went into the forest, and the mother gave him, as she had given the eldest, a pancake and a bottle of wine. The same little old man met him also, and requested a piece of his cake and a draught from his bottle. But he likewise refused, and said, ' What I give to you I cannot have for myself; go, take yourself off! ' and, so speaking,