astonished. He had the dwarf called, and asked him
who he was, and where he came from. Now poor Jacob certainly could not
say that he had been enchanted, and had once taken service as a
squirrel; still he kept to the truth by saying that he had now neither
father nor mother, and had learned how to cook from an old woman. The
duke did not question him further, but examined the singular shape of
his new cook. "If you will remain in my service," said the duke, "I
will give you fifty ducats a year, a holiday suit, and two pair of
trowsers besides. You will be expected to prepare my breakfast every
morning with your own hands; must direct the preparation of dinner, and
have a general oversight of my kitchen. As I am in the habit of naming
all the people in my palace, you shall take the name of Nosey, and hold
the office of assistant master of the kitchen."

The dwarf, Nosey, prostrated himself before the mighty duke of the
Franks, kissed his feet, and promised to serve him faithfully.

Thus was the dwarf provided for. And he did his office honor; for it
can be said that the duke was quite another man while the dwarf
remained in his service. Formerly he had been wont to express his
displeasure by throwing the dishes, that were taken in to him, at the
heads of the cooks; in fact, once in his anger, he had thrown a roasted
calf's foot, that was not tender enough, at the master of the kitchen,
and it hit him on the forehead and disabled him for three days. To be
sure, the duke made amends for his anger afterwards by distributing
handfuls of ducats among his victims; but nevertheless the cooks never
took his meals in to him without fear and trembling. Since the dwarf's
arrival, however, there was a magical change. Instead of three meals a
day, the duke now indulged in five, in order to do justice to the skill
of the assistant master of the kitchen; and he never betrayed the least
appearance of dissatisfaction. On the contrary, he found every thing
new and rare, was sociable and pleasant, and grew fleshier and happier
from day to day. He would often send for the master of the kitchen and
the dwarf Nosey, in the middle of the meal, and giving them seats on
either side of himself, would feed them the choicest morsels with his
own fingers; a favor that they both knew how to prize.

The dwarf became the wonder of the city. Permission was constantly
sought of the master of the kitchen to see him cook, and a few
gentlemen of the high