nails was the real 'Horn of Plenty,' from
which all this prosperity overflowed.

Peter had made the journey to the treasure mountain successfully,
without being found out by anybody. He had enjoyed himself by the way,
and taken his own time, until he actually reached the little brook in
the valley which it had cost him some trouble to find. Then he pressed
on eagerly, and soon came to the little hollow in the wood; down he
went, burrowing like a mole into the earth; the magic root did its work,
and at last the treasure lay before his eyes. You may imagine how gaily
Peter filled his sack with as much gold as he could carry, and how
he staggered up the seventy-seven steps with a heart full of hope and
delight. He did not quite trust the gnome's promises of safety, and
was in such haste to find himself once more in the light of day that
he looked neither to the right nor the left, and could not afterwards
remember whether the walls and pillars had sparkled with jewels or not.

However, all went well--he neither saw nor heard anything alarming; the
only thing that happened was that the great iron-barred door shut with
a crash as soon as he was fairly outside it, and then he remembered
that he had left the magic root behind him, so he could not go back for
another load of treasure. But even that did not trouble Peter much; he
was quite satisfied with what he had already. After he had faithfully
done everything according to Father Martin's instructions, and pressed
the earth well back into the hollow, he sat down to consider how he
could bring his treasure back to his native place, and enjoy it there,
without being forced to share it with his scolding wife, who would
give him no peace if she once found out about it. At last, after
much thinking, he hit upon a plan. He carried his sack to the nearest
village, and there bought a wheelbarrow, a strong barrel, and a quantity
of nails. Then he packed his gold into the barrel, covered it well with
a layer of nails, hoisted it on to the wheelbarrow with some difficulty,
and set off with it upon his homeward way. At one place upon the road
he met a handsome young man who seemed by his downcast air to be in some
great trouble. Father Peter, who wished everybody to be as happy as he
was himself, greeted him cheerfully, and asked where he was going, to
which he answered sadly:

'Into the wide world, good father, or out of it, where ever my feet may
chance to carry me.'

'Why out of