There was a man who had three sons, the youngest of whom was called Dummling, and was despised, mocked, and sneered at on every occasion.
It happened that the eldest wanted to go into the forest to hew wood,and before he went his mother gave him a beautiful sweet cake and abottle of wine in order that he might not suffer from hunger or thirst.
When he entered the forest he met a little grey-haired old man whobade him good day, and said: «Do give me a piece of cake out of yourpocket, and let me have a draft of your wine; I am so hungry andthirsty.» But the clever son answered: «If I give you my cake andwine, I shall have none for myself; be off with you,» and he left thelittle man standing and went on.
But when he began to hew down a tree, it was not long before he madea false stroke, and the axe cut him in the arm, so that he had to gohome and have it bound up. And this was the little gray man’s doing.
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