o jeer and make fun of
him, which hurt his feelings very much indeed.

One day, as luck would have it, a travelling doctor came to the town. He
sold not only all kinds of medicine, but also dealt in many strange
charms against witches and evil spirits.

Hok Lee determined to consult him, and asked him into his house.

After the doctor had examined him carefully, he spoke thus: 'This, O Hok
Lee, is no ordinary swelled face. I strongly suspect you have been doing
some wrong deed which has called down the anger of the spirits on you.
None of my drugs will avail to cure you, but, if you are willing to pay
me handsomely, I can tell you how you may be cured.'

Then Hok Lee and the doctor began to bargain together, and it was a long
time before they could come to terms. However, the doctor got the better
of it in the end, for he was determined not to part with his secret
under a certain price, and Hok Lee had no mind to carry his huge cheek
about with him to the end of his days. So he was obliged to part with
the greater portion of his ill-gotten gains.

When the Doctor had pocketed the money, he told Hok Lee to go on the
first night of the full moon to a certain wood and there to watch by a
particular tree. After a time he would see the dwarfs and little sprites
who live underground come out to dance. When they saw him they would be
sure to make him dance too. 'And mind you dance your very best,' added
the doctor. 'If you dance well and please them they will grant you a
petition and you can then beg to be cured; but if you dance badly they
will most likely do you some mischief out of spite.' With that he took
leave and departed.

Happily the first night of the full moon was near, and at the proper
time Hok Lee set out for the wood. With a little trouble he found the
tree the doctor had described, and, feeling nervous, he climbed up into
it.

He had hardly settled himself on a branch when he saw the little dwarfs
assembling in the moonlight. They came from all sides, till at length
there appeared to be hundreds of them. They seemed in high glee, and
danced and skipped and capered about, whilst Hok Lee grew so eager
watching them that he crept further and further along his branch till at
length it gave a loud crack. All the dwarfs stood still, and Hok Lee
felt as if his heart stood still also.

Then one of the dwarfs called out, 'Someone is up in that tree. Come
down at once, whoever you are, or we must come and fetch