f it.
The gentlemen forked away gallantly, and the tankards were not running
over. As the bridegroom saw the spiritual company still gliding in, so
that their number amounted already to hundreds of thousands, and
stove-cornices, window-sills, joint-stools, and backs of chairs were
thickly beset with the comical companions, he began to be uneasy. He
feared lest the brothers of the bride, who were waiting upon the guests,
might trample the small brood into fine dust; and in order to divert at
least all blame from himself, he addressed himself to his godfather,
then approaching him.

"'You do me great honour, respected godfather, by your presence--but
please remember, I cannot answer for dwarf slaughter--and murderous
crushings. Only look at the quantity of spruce vermin you have done me
the favour to bring with you!'

"Stringstriker waved his hand magnanimously, and told his godson that it
was of little consequence. Then with a bold leap, the king mounted the
long table, picked his way to the middle of it, and there, with legs
astride, fast planted himself. Not one of all the guests perceived the
larger Dwarf, any more than they could see the countless little ones.
Even Annie and the clergyman were stone-blind: so that Klaus, speaking
unintelligibly at every turn, had to bear the jokes of all; for young
and old, woman and man, chimed readily in with the tone of sportive
raillery, as soon as it was once pitched.

"The company indeed persisted in laughing and rioting so loudly at the
bridegroom's expense, that the pastor of the flock at length felt
himself called upon to assume his face of office--to put a damper, as it
were, upon the unseemly proceeding. Just as he began, a new dish, soup
with crabs' noses, (hotchpotch,) engaged exclusively the regard of the
whole of the guests. A full plate was set before every visitor, but
scarcely set before him, before, with the speed of lightning, from
chair-backs, window-sills, stove-cornices, nay, from the floor itself,
innumerable dwarfs bounded on to the table, and, taking their places by
all the plates, in three seconds consumed the savoury viand. To complete
the astonishment, the confusion, the wrath, the fury of the voracious
boors, Stringstriker himself galloped up and down the whole length of
the table, breaking all the vessels, and draining all the beer and
brandy with wonderful celerity.

"Had the most precious jewels of the Holy Roman Empire been plundered by
the Turk