A farmer had a faithful and diligent servant, who had worked hard forhim three years, without having been paid any wages. At last it cameinto the man's head that he would not go on thus without pay any longer;so he went to his master, and said, 'I have worked hard for you a longtime, I will trust to you to give me what I deserve to have for mytrouble.' The farmer was a sad miser, and knew that his man was verysimple-hearted; so he took out threepence, and gave him for every year'sservice a penny. The poor fellow thought it was a great deal of money tohave, and said to himself, 'Why should I work hard, and live here on badfare any longer? I can now travel into the wide world, and make myselfmerry.' With that he put his money into his purse, and set out, roamingover hill and valley.

As he jogged along over the fields, singing and dancing, a little dwarfmet him, and asked him what made him so merry. 'Why, what should makeme down-hearted?' said he; 'I am sound in health and rich in purse, whatshould I care for? I have saved up my three years' earnings and have itall safe in my pocket.' 'How much may it come to?' said the little man.'Full threepence,' replied the countryman. 'I wish you would give themto me,' said the other; 'I am very poor.' Then the man pitied him, andgave him all he had; and the little dwarf said in return, 'As you havesuch a kind honest heart, I will grant you three wishes--one for everypenny; so choose whatever you like.' Then the countryman rejoiced athis good luck, and said, 'I like many things better than money: first, Iwill have a bow that will bring down everything I shoot at; secondly,a fiddle that will set everyone dancing that hears me play upon it; andthirdly, I should like that everyone should grant what I ask.' The dwarfsaid he should have his three wishes; so he gave him the bow and fiddle,and went his way.

Our honest friend journeyed on his way too; and if he was merry before,he was now ten times more so. He had not gone far before he met an oldmiser: close by them stood a tree, and on the topmost twig sat a thrushsinging away most joyfully. 'Oh, what a pretty bird!' said the miser; 'Iwould give a great deal of money to have such a one.' 'If that's all,'said the countryman, 'I will soon bring it down.' Then he took up hisbow, and down fell the thrush into the bushes at the foot of the tree.The miser crept into the bush to find it; but directly he had got intothe middle, his companion took up his fiddle and played away, and themiser began to dance and spring about, capering higher and higher inthe air. The thorns soon began to tear his clothes till they all hungin rags about him, and he himself was all scratched and wounded, so thatthe blood ran down. 'Oh, for heaven's sake!' cried the miser, 'Master!master! pray let the fiddle alone. What have I done to deserve this?''Thou hast shaved many a poor soul close enough,' said the other; 'thouart only meeting thy reward': so he played up another tune. Then themiser began to beg and promise, and offered money for his liberty; buthe did not come up to the musician's price for some time, and he dancedhim along brisker and brisker, and the miser bid higher and higher, tillat last he offered a round hundred of florins that he had in his purse,and had just gained by cheating some poor fellow. When the countrymansaw so much money, he said, 'I will agree to your proposal.' So he tookthe purse, put up his fiddle, and travelled on very pleased with hisbargain.

Meanwhile the miser crept out of the bush half-naked and in a piteousplight, and began to ponder how he should take his revenge, and servehis late companion some trick. At last he went to the judge, andcomplained that a rascal had robbed him of his money, and beaten himinto the bargain; and that the fellow who did it carried a bow at hisback and a fiddle hung round his neck. Then the judge sent out hisofficers to bring up the accused wherever they should find him; and hewas soon caught and brought up to be tried.

The miser began to tell his tale, and said he had been robbed ofhis money. 'No, you gave it me for playing a tune to you.' said thecountryman; but the judge told him that was not likely, and cut thematter short by ordering him off to the gallows.

So away he was taken; but as he stood on the steps he said, 'My LordJudge, grant me one last request.' 'Anything but thy life,' replied theother. 'No,' said he, 'I do not ask my life; only to let me play uponmy fiddle for the last time.' The miser cried out, 'Oh, no! no! forheaven's sake don't listen to him! don't listen to him!' But the judgesaid, 'It is only this once, he will soon have done.' The fact was, hecould not refuse the request, on account of the dwarf's third gift.

Then the miser said, 'Bind me fast, bind me fast, for pity's sake.' Butthe countryman seized his fiddle, and struck up a tune, and at the firstnote judge, clerks, and jailer were in motion; all began capering, andno one could hold the miser. At the second note the hangman let hisprisoner go, and danced also, and by the time he had played the firstbar of the tune, all were dancing together--judge, court, and miser, andall the people who had followed to look on. At first the thing was merryand pleasant enough; but when it had gone on a while, and there seemedto be no end of playing or dancing, they began to cry out, and beg himto leave off; but he stopped not a whit the more for their entreaties,till the judge not only gave him his life, but promised to return himthe hundred florins.

Then he called to the miser, and said, 'Tell us now, you vagabond, whereyou got that gold, or I shall play on for your amusement only,' 'I stoleit,' said the miser in the presence of all the people; 'I acknowledgethat I stole it, and that you earned it fairly.' Then the countrymanstopped his fiddle, and left the miser to take his place at the gallows.