Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-12-07
~KS-NFfOFOt~ FEN ~
OUR BOYS : ?
and GIRLS 5 :
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
THE GRAY DWARF.


they got close 20 the house they found
that 1t was an Old. dos rtet castle. As
they We're homeless th>y determined
10 take up their abode In the casIe.
and they arranged that one OF them
should always stay Al home and keep
house.
The lot Of remaining at home fell
first 10 the nun. and when the country
man and the blacksmith had gone out
into the wood she set 10 work. tidied
up the house and prepared all the food
for the day. Just As she was sitting
down 10 sew the door opened and q
little gray man came in, and standing
before her. sad: "Oh. how hungry
ana"
The nun answered. There IS food
In the oven. help yourself"
The little man did not need to be
told twice, for ne set to work and ate
Up everything. When the nun saw
this she scolded the dwarf because ne
had left nothing FOR her companions
The little man resented her words
and flew into such q passion that ne
nearly killed her, then he left her N
ing on the floor and walked out Of the
house
In the evening the countryman ana
the blacksmith returned home, and
when they found on demanding their
dinner. that there was nothing LETT for
them. they reproaohed the nun bitter.
ly and refused 10 believe her when
she tried TO tell that what had hap
pened.
The next day the countryninn asked
TO be left In charge OF the house, So
the other two went into the forest and
the countryman prepared the food for
the day. Just as he had finished clear
Ing away the door opened and the lit
tie gray man walked in and this time
he had two heads. He shook and
.rembled as before and exclaimed;
oh, how hungry ami"
There is food In the oven. so you
can eat" replied the countryman.
Then the little man fell to with both
his heads and soon finished the last
morsel.
When the countryman scolded him
for this proceeding he treated him ex.
actly as he had done the nun.
Now when the blacksmith came
home with the nun In The evening and
found nothing for supper, he swore
that he would stay at home the follow
ing day.
When the day dawned the country
nan and the nun set CIT into the wood
and the blacksmith prepared all the
tood for the day. as the others had
done. Again the gray dwarf entered
he house and this time he had three
heads. When he said he was hungry
the blacksmith put some food on a
plate and gave It TO him. The dwarf
made short work Of what was provid-
ed for him, and then demanded more.
When the blacksmith refused to give
him another morsel he flew into a
terrible rage and proceeded to treat
him In the same way as he had treated
his companions.
But the blacksmith was a match for
him, for he seized huge hammer and
struck off two Of the dwarf's heads
with IT, The little man hastily fled
from the house The blacksmith ran
lfter him, pursued him for long
way; but at last they came to an iron
loor and through it the little crea-
.ure vanished. The door shut behind
lin and the blacksmith had to give
ID the pursuit and return home The
hree companions determined to free
themselves from the power of the gray
warf and the very next day they set
work to find him.
They had to walk long way be
lore they found the iron door and
when at last they succeeded in forcing
he lock they entered large hall, in
which sat a young and lovely girl.
She told them that she was kings
laughter, and had been shut up in the
castle by a mighty magician. The day
before. just about noon. she had sud
denly felt the magic power over her
disappear, and ever since that mo-
ment she had eagerly awaited the ar
rival OF her deliverers She went on
to say that there was yet another
princess shut up In the castle.
They wandered through many halls
and rooms till at last they found the
second princess
Then the princesses told their res
cuers that a great treasure lay hidden
in cellars Of the castle, but that II
was carefully guarded by fierce and
/ terrible dog.
! Nothing daunted, they all went
| down below at once and found the
| fierce animal. But one blow from the
/ blacksmith's hammer soon made ar
end OF the monster and they fount
themselves in vaulted chamber full
OF gold and silver and precious stones
Beside the treasure stood young ant
handsome man.
He told them that he was king
son. who had been banished to this
castle by wicked magician and tina
he had been changed into the three
headed dwarf. When he had lost two
OF his heads the magic power over TIN
two Processes had been removed an'
when the blacksmith had killed tn
horrible dog then he, too, had been Sc
free.
To show his gratitude he begged tn