The Green Fairy Book

brave little fellow, but he had lost neither arms nor legs in battle. Still, the fightin

ome reason or other his friends always called him

napsack on his back and his sword by his side, when suddenly one evening he was seized with a wish to ligh

hen he noticed a light shining through the trees. He went towards it

a window, saw a large fire blazing at the end of a low hall. He

u give me

got no

knocked again, this time more

ch and entered; t

for a nice red hot coal with which to light his pipe, when clic! something went, like a spring giv

ge still, this serpent

ives; but the little soldier, though he was so small, had a true soldier's

ent. 'I have been waiting for you,

are

he King of the Low Countries. Deliver me, and I

Ludovine's eyes, which looked at him as a snake looks at a little bird. They were beautiful green eyes, not round like those of a cat, but long and almond-shaped, and they shone with

do?' asked

at the end just like this. Cross that, and you will see a close

reached the room he saw by the light of the stars eight hands on a level with his face, which threate

which he returned with his fists. When he got to the closet, he

e panted, rathe

Ludovine was a woman down to her wa

lvet, embroidered in pearls, but the pe

ase which is on the left, and in the second room on the first st

y hands, eight arms, each holding an enormous stick. He instantly unsheathed his

which was made of silk as

e serpent appeared. She was no

w,' she said. 'Go and get them from th

these wretches will break it like glass, and if I can't think of anything else, I am a dead man.' At this moment his eyes fell on the door, which was made of oak, thick and heavy. He wrenched it off its hinges and held it over

two hundred ducats. Sleep to-night at the inn which is at the edge of the wood, and awake early in the morning: for at nine o'clock I shall pass the door, and shall take you up in my carriage.' 'Why shouldn't we go now?' ask

en lit his pip