Kirsten who had an only son
called Hans. From the time he was a little boy he had been told that
on his sixteenth birthday he must go out into the world and serve his
apprenticeship. So, one fine summer morning, he started off to seek his
fortune with nothing but the clothes he wore on his back.
For many hours he trudged on merrily, now and then stopping to drink
from some clear spring or to pick some ripe fruit from a tree. The
little wild creatures peeped at him from beneath the bushes, and he
nodded and smiled, and wished them 'Good-morning.' After he had been
walking for some time he met an old white-bearded man who was coming
along the footpath. The boy would not step aside, and the man was
determined not to do so either, so they ran against one another with a
bump.
'It seems to me,' said the old fellow, 'that a boy should give way to an
old man.'
'The path is for me as well as for you,' answered young Hans saucily,
for he had never been taught politeness.
'Well, that's true enough,' answered the other mildly. 'And where are
you going?'
'I am going into service,' said Hans.
'Then you can come and serve me,' replied the man.
Well, Hans could do that; but what would his wages be?
'Two pounds a year, and nothing to do but keep some rooms clean,' said
the new-comer.
This seemed to Hans to be easy enough; so he agreed to enter the old
man's service, and they set out together. On their way they crossed a
deep valley and came to a mountain, where the man opened a trapdoor, and
bidding Hans follow him, he crept in and began to go down a long flight
of steps. When they got to the bottom Hans saw a large number of rooms
lit by many lamps and full of beautiful things. While he was looking
round the old man said to him:
'Now you know what you have to do. You must keep these rooms clean, and
strew sand on the floor every day. Here is a table where you will always
find food and drink, and there is your bed. You see there are a great
many suits of clothes hanging on the wall, and you may wear any you
please; but remember that you are never to open this locked door. If you
do ill will befall you. Farewell, for I am going away again and cannot
tell when I may return.
No sooner had the old man disappeared than Hans sat down to a good meal,
and after that went to bed and slept until the morning. At first he
could not remember what had happened to him, but by-and-by he jumped up
and went into all the rooms,
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