ight, white and glittering. But no one could tell whither it
went then although some declared it flew straight to the sun.

THE GOBLIN AND THE HUCKSTER

There was once a regular student, who lived in a garret, and had
no possessions. And there was also a regular huckster, to whom the
house belonged, and who occupied the ground floor. A goblin lived with
the huckster, because at Christmas he always had a large dish full
of jam, with a great piece of butter in the middle. The huckster could
afford this; and therefore the goblin remained with the huckster,
which was very cunning of him.

One evening the student came into the shop through the back door
to buy candles and cheese for himself, he had no one to send, and
therefore he came himself; he obtained what he wished, and then the
huckster and his wife nodded good evening to him, and she was a
woman who could do more than merely nod, for she had usually plenty to
say for herself. The student nodded in return as he turned to leave,
then suddenly stopped, and began reading the piece of paper in which
the cheese was wrapped. It was a leaf torn out of an old book, a
book that ought not to have been torn up, for it was full of poetry.

"Yonder lies some more of the same sort," said the huckster: "I
gave an old woman a few coffee berries for it; you shall have the rest
for sixpence, if you will."

"Indeed I will," said the student; "give me the book instead of
the cheese; I can eat my bread and butter without cheese. It would
be a sin to tear up a book like this. You are a clever man; and a
practical man; but you understand no more about poetry than that
cask yonder."

This was a very rude speech, especially against the cask; but
the huckster and the student both laughed, for it was only said in
fun. But the goblin felt very angry that any man should venture to say
such things to a huckster who was a householder and sold the best
butter. As soon as it was night, and the shop closed, and every one in
bed except the student, the goblin stepped softly into the bedroom
where the huckster's wife slept, and took away her tongue, which of
course, she did not then want. Whatever object in the room he placed
his tongue upon immediately received voice and speech, and was able to
express its thoughts and feelings as readily as the lady herself could
do. It could only be used by one object at a time, which was a good
thing, as a number speaking at once would have caused great