have gone into one of the cellars," said
he. "Now you shall suffer for it!" He took up a cudgel and beat the
lad until he was black and blue. "It's lucky for you you went only
into the first cellar," said he. "Otherwise you would not have come
off so lightly."

Then he sat down to supper.

As for the lad he sat and nursed his bruises and wished he had never
heard tell of such a thing as a cellar.

Not long after the master said he was going on another journey. "I
will be gone two weeks," said he, "and whatever you do, do not dare to
look into any of the other cellars, or you will suffer for it."

"I have learned my lesson," said the lad. "You'll not find me doing
such a thing again."

After that the master mounted his horse and rode away.

After he had gone the lad cleaned and polished and ate and drank, and
then he began to wonder what was in the second cellar. "There must be
something more than a stick to see," said he, "or my master would not
be so particular about it." In the end he determined to look at what
was in the second cellar, whatever it cost him. He opened the door and
went down the stone steps that led to it and looked about, but all he
saw was a shelf behind the door, and on it a stone and a water bottle.

"They are not much to see, and I wish I had not come," said the lad to
himself. "I hope my master will not know about it;" and then he went
upstairs and shut the door behind him.

Not long afterward his master came home. The first thing he asked was,
"Have you been down in any of the cellars again?"

"How can you think such a thing!" cried the lad. "I have no wish for
another beating."

"All the same, I will see for myself," said the master, and he went
down into the second cellar. Then the lad was frightened, you may well
believe.

When the Master came back his face was as red as fire. "You have
disobeyed me again," cried he. Then he seized a cudgel and beat the
lad till he could hardly stand.

"This should teach you to obey," said he, "but I fear as long as you
live you will not learn."

Not long after the Master was going away on a third journey, and this
time he was to be away for three weeks. "And if you look in the third
cellar," said he, "your life shall pay the forfeit." After that he
rode away into the forest and out of sight.

Well, for two weeks the lad would not look into the third cellar, but
at last his curiosity got the better of him. He opened the third door
and went