The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-09-30
THE YOUNG FOLKS.
The Drummer.

there before one could turn his hand
round. On the summit was large
plain, whereon stood an old stone man
sion, and before its door fish.pond,
and behind, a dark wood. The Drum
mer saw neither man nor beast, all was
still, but the noise of the wind among
the trees; while, close above his head,
the clouds were rolling along. He
stepped up to the door and knocked
thrice, and after the third time, an old
woman, with red eyes and brown face,
opened it. She had spectacles upon her
nose, and looked at him very sharply
before she asked what his business was.
Entrance, a nights lodging and pro-
Visions" replied the Drummer boldly.
"And why not?" he replied, 81 am
not afraid of work, be it ever so hard"
So the old woman let him come in,
and gave him supper, and afterwards a
good bed.
The next morning when the Drum
mer arose, the old woman handed him
thimble off her withered finger, and
said, "Now, go to work and empty the
pond out there with this thimble, but
you must finish ii before night; and,
besides that, you must take out all the
fishes, and range them according to
their species upon the bank"
"That is queer job!" said the Drum
mer; but going to the pond, he began
to thimble out the water. He worked
all the morning, but what could he do
with single thimble, if he had kept at
work a thousand years? When noon
day came he stopped and sat down; for,
as he thought, sit is no use, and all the
same whether L work or not" Just
then girl came from the house, and
brought him a basket of provisions.
"What do you want" she asked, "that
you sit there so sorrowful?'
The Drummer looked up, and, seeing
that the speaker was very bautiful, he
replied, "Alas! cannot perform the
first task, and how l shall do the others
l cannot tell have come here to seel
a Kings daughter, who lives herea
bouts, but 1 have not found her, and
must go further"
"Stop here!" said the Girl, 81 viii
assist you out of your trouble. You arr
tired, so lay your head in my lap ant
go to sleep; when you awake again th'
work will be done!"
The Drummer need not twice telling
and, as soon as his eyes were closed, tn,
Maiden pressed a wishing-ring, whicl
she had, and said, "Out water, out fish
es." Immediately the water rose in tn,
air like a white vapor, and rolled ava.
with the other clouds while the fishe
all jumped out, and arranged them
selves on the banks according to thei
size and species.
By-and-by the Drummer awoke, ant
saw, to his astonishment, thework com
pleted. zone of the fishes" said tn
Maiden, "does not lie with his com
panions, but quite alone; and so, whel
the old Woman comes this evening an,
sees all that is done she will ask VIII,
this fish is left out, and you must tax
it up and throw it in her face, saying
That is for you, old Witch.'"
So when it was evening the old We
man came and asked the question, an
he i'm medately threw the fish in he
face. She did not appear to notice il
but only looked silently and malicious
ly at him. The next morning she sal
to him, "You got off too easily yestel
day, but l must give you a harder task
to-day you must cut down all my trees
split the wood into faggots, and rang
them in bundles, and all must be read
by night"
With these words she gave him a
axe, mallet, and two wedges; but tn
first was made of lead and the others
tin. When, therefore, he began to cho
the axe doubled quite up, while I'll
mallet and wedges stuck together. II
knew not what to do; but at noon Il
Maiden came again with his dinner ar
comforted him. clay your head
:. my lap" said she, "and when yC
u wake up the work will be done" Their
n upon she turned her wishing ring, ar
: at the same moment the whole fore
fell down with crash, the timber spl
: ofitself, and laid itself together in heal
1 as if innumerable giants were at wor
Y As soon as the Drummer awoke, Il
Maiden said to him, "See, here is q
: your wood properly cut and stacke
1 with the exception of one bough whit
n if the old Woman, when she comes tn
e evening, asks the reason of, give her
o blow with it, and say, THAT is for the
q old Witch"
Accordingly, when the old Won;
j.. came, she said, "See how easy the wo
= is; but for whom is this bough IL
out?"
r. "For you, old Witch" he replie
# giving her blow. But she appear
g not to feel it, and, laughing fiendishl
q said to him, "To-morrow you shall Il
: all the wood in one pile, and kindle a
Or burn it,"
n At daybresk he arose again and
t. gan to work but how could sins
Ie man pile up whole forest? The wo
le proceeded very slowly. The MaidC
p however, did not forget him in
troubles, and brought him as usual
midday meal, after eating which
II laid his head in her lap and slept.
., his awaking he found the whole p
W burning in one immense flame, VIII
~ tongues of fire reached up to heav
- "Attend to me-" said the Maiden
- him f; "when the Witch comes she "
io demand something singular, but
ie what she desires without fear, and J
''' will take no harm but if you are afra
. the fire will catch and consume y
- Lastly, when you have fulfilled her
e mands, take her with both hands
f.. throw her into the midst Of the flame
#. Thereupon the Maiden left him, {