k--he let the others do it. When he heard the rat-tat-tat
he kept very quiet.

The selfish little dwarf was in the dining-room, pretending to
sweep--but he was only sweeping the crumbs under the mat, for he did
not like to clean. He heard the rat-tat-tat! but he pretended that he
was too busy to answer it.

The third little dwarf was in the kitchen, scrubbing the hearth with a
mop. His sleeves were rolled up, and he had overalls on, but he could
not bear to keep a tired traveller waiting at the door. "I must go at
once," he thought. And he went.

"Come right round to the well," he said. "I will get a mug and give
you a drink of our nice cold water. You must be tired, for the highway
is warm, and dusty." He set the best chair for the traveller, and gave
him a fan.

He went to fetch his mug. But what do you think! When he found it at
last, it was soiled--and the stingy dwarf had carelessly broken the
handle off, and the selfish dwarf had dropped it on the floor and
nicked the rim! "Oh! Oh! It's not fit for company use!" cried the
generous little dwarf. "I must have something better!"

He asked Stingy to let him take his mug.

"No. You can't take mine," said Stingy. "Nobody can ever use it. It is
all put away. It's mine, and I won't lend it to anybody."

Then he asked Selfish to let him take his mug.

"No," said Selfish. "I can't let you take my mug. Give him yours. What
do you care if it is nicked, and the handle is off--it is good enough
for a beggar, I should think!"

So there was nothing for the generous little dwarf to do except to
take his own broken mug to the stranger. But he cut some slices of
bread and put them on the prettiest plate that he could find.

"I'm sorry I haven't a better mug to offer you," he said, "but the
others were all put away. They belong to my brothers. Oh, I wish that
they would come out to see you,--they are so nice,--but they said they
were busy at present. Stingy is dusting the parlor, and Selfish is
brushing up the dining-room. Their mugs are nicer than mine, because
they always know just how to take care of their things. Wouldn't you
like some more bread? I am sorry we haven't butter to offer you--but
we never buy it."

The traveller thanked Generous for all he had done. He said, "I am so
grateful to you that I should like to do something for you before I
go. I should like to give you something to remember me by. Let me take
your mug again, little dwarf. Have you a big pail