Year: 1875

will freely give you all theprecious
stones you can pick up from yonder pile
at one grasp, and what gold you can
carry upon your back from here to the
inn. In return for this, L ask only that
you will wear, for one twelvemonth, a
pair of ass's ears upon your head. These
you must vow never to cover with any
disguise, nor to have them removed.
Should you do so, your fortune will van
ish forever.


Gottfried Goetal made no reply for
several minutes, but covered his face
with his hands, seemingly buried in
deep thought. Then lie raised his head
and firmly uttered:


81 accept your condition. Though
why you should choose such one, 1
cannot imagine"


GA mere whim of mine-nothing
more, laughed the gnome.


ga most disagreeable one, ! assure
you. But remember" the student add
ed, with laugh, "you said nothing
against my dining upon cold steel, as L
shall do, after my mother and sister are
reinstated. You know Just how it will
be. Every person will be plucking at
my beautiful ears, and, of course, shall
have to meet them, and if some of them
don't do the business for me, why-I
shall not be the first who has held fast to
both ends Of the sword, hilt in hand,
while the body takes the blade"


"Be that as you like; I care not.
Come" added the gnome, producing a
bundle OF stout canvas bags from sort
of closet. "Take what you want, and
begone. I am growing weary of this
farce"


The student placed several of the bags
within each other, so that there would be
no danger Of their tearing, and then be-
gan gathering up the gold coins in great
handfuls. After two or three he felt a
strange sensation i'll the sides Of his head,
and as he lifted hand he found it was
caused by the ass's ears already rapidly
growing. But he had now gone too fan
to retreat, and he rapidly filled his bag
with as much gold as he could lift, then
placed the handful of jewels safely within
his breast pocket. With the gnome' s
assistance the sack was placed upon his
shoulder, and leaving the "lord of the
mountain" he staggered back to the
inn, where he reached his room without
discovery


Next morning the student ordered q
close conveyance, and promptly settled
the landlords bill, who nearly died OF
alright when he saw the great hairy
ears that had grown SO suddenly upon
the head of the student. All questions
as to the cause of this phenomenon were
checked by the word Rhubazahl, and al
was terror and confusion lest the same
fate should befall themselves, and then
hearts beat freer when the student dis
appeared from view.


Not to be unnecessarily prolix, Gott
fried arrived at the city where the lawyer
resided oheld the title deeds, and final
ly purchased them. OF course he excited
great curiosity, but he consoled himself
that it was only holy cause, and bore
the trial as best he might Then ht
went on again to the castle to open anC
prepare it for the reception of his rela
tives, while he proceeded to meet then
and relate his strange adventures.


AS he drew near where they were re
siding, his heart grew sick with thoughts
of the grief they would feel, and he al
most repented his bargain. He sent il
his card, but remained in the carriage
until he heard the two cries of Joy, a.
his aged mother and lovely sister rushed
from the house to greet him. Then hC
forgot all, and leaping from the vehicle
the trio were clasped in a close embrace
When they separated, Gottfried stood
little apart, and removed his hat. Still
they did not appear alarmed. Then h,
raised his hand to where the hideous ear
had been-and found them not !


They We're indeed gone, and as h
gazed around, astounded, he beheld TIN
familiar form of the coalman, or Rhuba
zahl, who advanced, saying:


my friend, I see that you were hon
est and true in what you told me, and s,
[ withdraw the condition / imposed
Let all your actions in life be as nobl
as this, and you will be happy indeed.


So saying he vanished in a whirlwin,
of coaldust.


Gottfried explained the meaning o
these words by relating his adventur
with the King of Gnomes. Then the,
returned to the castle, where they live,
happy, prosperous and contented, the,
and their descendants, for many lon,
years.


So concluded my friend, the German
professor.


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