Tere came a soldier marching along the high mad-- one， two! one， two! He had his knapsack on his back and a sabre by his side， for he had been in the wars， and now he wanted to go home. And on the way he met with an old witch: she was very hideous， and her under lip hung down upon her breast. She said， \"Good evening， soldier. What a fine sword you have， and what a big knapsack! You're a proper soldier! Now you shall have as much money as you like to have.\"

\"Ｉ thank you， you old witch!\" said the soldier.

\"Do you see that great tree ？\" quoth the witch; and she pointed to a tree which stood beside them.\"It's quite hollow inside. You must climb to the top， and then you'll see a hole， through which you can let yourself down and get deep into the tree. I'll tie a rope round your body， so that I can pull you up again when you call me.\"

\"What am I to do down in the tree？\" asked the soldier.

\"Get money，\" replied the witch.\"Listen to me. When you come down to the earth under the tree， you will find yourself in a great hall: it is quite light， for many hundred lamps are burning there. Then you will see three doors; these you can open， for the keys are in the locks. If you go into the first chamber， you'll see a great chest in the middle of the floor; on this chest sits a dog， and he's got a pair of eyes as big as two tea-cups. But you need not care for that. I'll give you my blue-checked apron， and you can spread it out upon the floor; then go up quickly and take the dog， and set him on my apron; then open the chest， and take as many farthings as you like. They are of copper. If you prefer silver， you must go into the second chamber. But there sits a dog with a pair of eyes as big as mill-wheels. But do not you care for that. Set him upon my apron， and take some of the money. And if you want gold， you can have that too--in fact， as much as you can carry--if you go into the third chamber. But the dog that sits on the money-chest there has two eyes as big as the round tower of Copenhagen. He is a fierce dog， you may be sure; but you needn't be afraid， for all that. Only set him on my apron， and he won't hurt you; and take out of the chest as much gold as you like.\"

\"That's not so bad，\" said the soldier. \"But what am I to give you， you old witch? For you will not do it for nothing， I fancy.\"

\"No，\" replied the witch， \"not a single farthing will I have. You shall only bring me an old tinder-box which my grandmother forgot when she was down there last.\"

\"Then tie the rope round my body，\" cried the soldier.

\"Here it is，\" said the witch， \"and here's my blue-checked apron.\"

Then the soldier climbed up into the tree， let himself slip down into the hole， and stood， as the witch had said， in the great hall where the many hundred lamps were burning.

Now he opened the first door. Ugh! There sat the dog with eyes as big as tea-cups， staring at him. \"You're a nice fellow!\" exclaimed the soldier; and he set him on the witch's apron， and took as many copper farthings as his pockets would hold， and then locked the chest， set the dog on it again， and went into the second chamber. Aha! There sat the dog with eyes as big as mill-wheels.

\"You should not stare so hard at me，\" said the soldier; \"you might strain your eyes.\" And he set the dog up on the witch's apron. When he saw the silver money in the chest， he threw away all the copper money he had， and filled his pockets and his knapsack with silver only. Then he went into the third chamber. Oh， but that was horrid! The dog there really had eyes as big as the round tower and they turned round and round in his head like wheels.

\"Good evening!\" said the soldier; and he touched his cap， for he had never seen such a dog as that before. When he had looked at him a little more closely， he thought， \"That will do，\" and lifted him down to the floor， and opened the chest. Mercy! What a quantity of gold was there!He could buy with it the whole of Copenhagen， and the sugar pigs of the cake-woman， and all the tin soldiers， whips， and rocking-horses in the whole world. Yes， that was a quantity of money! Now the soldier threw away all the silver coin with which he had filled his pockets and his knapsack， and took gold instead. Yes， all his pockets， his knapsack， his boots， and his cap were filled， so that he could scarcely walk. Now indeed he had plenty of money. He put the dog， on the chest， shut the door， and then called up through the tree， \"Now pull me up， you old witch.\"

\"Have you the tinder-box?\" asked the witch.

\"Plague on it!\" exclaimed the soldier， \"I had clean forgotten that.\" And he went and brought it.

The witch drew him up， and he stood on the high road again， with pockets， boots， knapsack， and cap full of gold.

\"What are you going to do with the tinder-box?\" asked the soldier.

\"That's nothing to you，\" retorted the witch.\"You've had your money--just give me the tinder-box.\"

\"Nonsense!\" said the soldier. \"Tell me directly what you're going to do with it， or I'll draw my sword and cut off your head.\"

\"No !\" cried the witch.

So the soldier cut off her head. There she lay! But he tied up all his money in her apron， took it on his back like a bundle， put the tinder-box in his pocket， and went straight off towards the town.

That was a splendid town! He put up at the very best inn， asked for the finest rooms， and ordered his favourite dishes， for now he was rich， having got so much money. The servant who had to clean his boots certainly thought them a remarkably old pair for such a rich gentleman; but he had not bought any new ones yet. The next day he procured proper boots and handsome clothes. Now our soldier had become a fine gentleman; and the people told him of all the splendid things which were in their city， and about the king， and what a pretty princess the king's daughter was.

\"Where can one get to see her?\" asked the soldier.

\"She is not to be seen at all，\" said they all together;\"she lives in a geat copper castle， with a great many walls and towers round about it; no one but the king may go in and out there， for it has been prophesied that she shall marry a common soldier， and the king can't bear that.\"

\"I should like to see her，\" thought the soldier; but he could not get leave to do so. Now he lived merrily， went to the theatre， drove in the king's garden， and gave much money to the poor; and this was very kind of him， for he knew from old times how hard it is when one has not a shilling. Now he was rich， had fine clothes， and gained many friends， who all said he was a rare one， a true cavalier; and that pleased the soldier well. But as he spent money every day and never earned any， he had at last only two shillings left; and he was obliged to turn out of the fine rooms in which he had dwelt， and had to live in a little garret under the roof， and clean his boots for himself， and mend them with a darning-needle. None of his friends came to see him， for there were too many stairs to climb.

It was quite dark one evening， and he could not even buy himself a candle， when it occurred to him that there was a candle-end in the tinder-box which he had taken out of the hollow tree into which the witch had helped him. He brought out the tinder-box and the candle-end; but as soon as he struck fire and the sparks rose up from the flint， the door flew open， and the dog who had eyes as big as a couple of tea-cups， and whom he had seen in the tree， stood before him， and said:

\"What are my lord's commands?\"

\"What is this?\" said the soldier.\"That's a famous tinder-box， if I can get everything with it that I want! Bring me some money，\" said he to the dog; and whisk! the dog was gone， and whisk! he was back again， with a great bag full of shillings in his mouth.

Now the soldier knew what a capital tinder-box this was. If he struck it once， the dog came who sat upon the chest of copper money; if he struck it twice， the dog came who had the silver; and if he struck it three times， then appeared the dog who had the gold. Now the soldier moved back into the fine rooms， and appeared again in handsome clothes; and all his friends knew him again， and cared very much for him indeed.

Once he thought to himself， \"It is a very strange thing that one cannot get to see the princess. They all say she is very beautiful; but what is the use of that， if she has always to sit in the great copper castle with the many towers? Can I not get to see her at all? Where is my tinder-box?\" And so he struck a light， and whisk! came the dog with eyes as big as tea-cups.

\"It is midnight， certainly，\" said the soldier，\"but I should very much like to see the princess， only for one little moment.\"

The dog was outside the door directly， and， before the soldier thought it， came back with the princess. She sat upon the dog's back and slept; and every one could see she was a real princess， for she was so lovely. The soldier could not refrain from kissing her， for he was a thorough soldier.

Then the dog ran back again with the princess. But when morning came， and the King and Queen were drinking tea， the princess said she had had a strange dream the night before， about a dog and a soldier--that she had ridden upon the dog， and the soldier had kissed her.

\"That would be a fine history!\" said the Queen.

So one of the old Court ladies had to watch the next night by the princess's bed， to see if this was really a dream， or what it might be.

The soldier had a great longing to see the lovely princess again; so the dog came in the night， took her away， and ran as fast as he could. But the old lady put on waterboots， and ran just as fast after him. When she saw that they both entered a great house， she thought; \"Now I know where it is;\" and with a bit of chalk she drew a great cross on the door. Then she went home and lay down， and the dog came up with the princess; but when he saw that there was a cross drawn on the door where the soldier lived， he took a piece of chalk too， and drew crosses on all the doors in the town. And that was cleverly done， for now the lady could not find the right door， because all the doors had crosses upon them.

In the morning early came the King and the Queen， the old court lady and all the officers， to see where it was the princess had been. \"Here it is!\" said the King， when he saw the first door with a cross upon it.\"No， my dear husband， it is there!\" said the Queen， who descried another door which also showed a cross.\"But there is one， and there is one!\" said all， for wherever they looked there were crosses on the doors. So they saw that it would avail them nothing if they searched on.

But the Queen was an exceedingly clever woman， who could do more than ride in a coach. She took her great gold scissors， cut a piece of silk into pieces， and made a neat little bag; this bag she filled with fine wheat flour， and tied it on the princess's back; and when that was done， she cut a little hole in the bag， so that the flour would be scattered along all the way which the princess should take.

In the night the dog came again， took the princess on his back， and ran with her to the soldier， who loved her very much， and would gladly have been a prince， so that he might have her for his wife. The dog did not notice at all how the flour ran out in a stream from the castle to the windows of the soldier's house， where he ran up the wall with the princess. In the morning the King and the Queen saw well enough where their daughter had been， and they took the soldier and put him in prison.

There he sat. Oh， but it was dark and disagreeable there! And they said to him. \"Tomorrow you shall be hanged.\" That was not amusing to hear， and he had left his tinder-box at the inn. In the morning he could see， through the iron grating of the little window， how the people were hurrying out of the town to see him hanged. He heard the drums beat and saw the soldiers marching. All the people were running out， and among them was a shoemaker's boy with leather apron and slippers， and he galloped so fast that one of his slippers flew off， and came right against the wall where the soldier sat looking through the iron grating.

\"Halloo， you shoemaker's boy! You needn't be in such a hurry，\" cried the soldier to him: \"it will not begin till I come. But if you will run to where I lived， and bring me my tinder-box， you shall have four shillings， but you must put your best leg foremost.\"

The shoemaker's boy wanted to get the four shillings， so he went and brought the tinder-box， and--well， we shall hear now what happened.

Outside the town a great gallows had been built， and round it stood the soldiers and many hundred thousand people. The King and Queen sat on a splendid throne， opposite to the judges and the whole council. The soldier already stood upon the ladder; but as they were about to put the rope round his neck， he said that before a poor criminal suffered his punishment an innocent request was always granted to him. He wanted very much to smoke a pipe of tobacco， and it would be the last pipe he should smoke in the world. The King would not say \"No\" to this; so the soldier took his tinder-box， and struck fire. One-- two--three!--and there suddenly stood all the dogs--the one with eyes as big as tea-cups， the one with eyes as large as mill-wheels， and the one whose eyes were as big as the round tower.

\"Help me now， so that I may not be hanged，\" said the soldier.

And the dogs fell upon the judge and all the council， seized one by the leg and another by the nose， and tossed them all many feet into the air， so that they fell down and were all broken to pieces.

\"I won't!\" cried the King; but the biggest dog took him and the Queen， and threw them after the others. Then the soldiers were afraid， and the people cried， \"Little soldier， you shall be our king， and marry the beautiful princess!\"

So they put the soldier into the king's coach， and all the three dogs danced in front and cried \"Hurrah !\" and the boys whistled through their fingers， and the soldiers presented arms. The princess came out of the copper castle， and became queen， and she liked that well enough. The wedding lasted a whole week， and the three dogs sat at the table too， and opened their eyes wider than ever at all they saw.

一個(gè)士兵在馬路上大踏步走來，一二一！一二一！他背掛軍用背包，腰挎長劍。他多次參加戰(zhàn)斗，現(xiàn)在正準(zhǔn)備回家。路上，他遇見一個(gè)老巫婆，這個(gè)老巫婆長得面目可憎，下嘴唇一直耷拉到奶上。她說：“晚上好，當(dāng)兵的。你的劍可真棒，背包也真夠大的呀！你真是個(gè)名副其實(shí)的士兵！這回你想要多少錢就有多少錢了?！?/p>

“謝謝，老巫婆！”士兵說。

“你看到那棵大樹了嗎？”老巫婆指著他們身旁的一棵樹問，“這棵樹中間是空的。你要是爬到樹梢，就能看見下面是個(gè)洞。你順著洞朝下滑，下到里面去。我用根繩子套在你身上。你一喊我，我就把你拉上來?！?/p>

“我下到樹洞底下干什么呀？”士兵問道。

“撈錢呀！”老巫婆答道，“聽我說，你只要下到樹底下，就會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)一個(gè)大洞。里面亮得很，因?yàn)橛谐砂偕锨ПK燈在照著。你會(huì)看見三個(gè)門，你可以打開，鑰匙就插在鎖孔里。

你走進(jìn)第一間房子，會(huì)看見地上有個(gè)巨大的箱子，箱子上蹲著一條狗，兩只眼睛有兩個(gè)大茶杯那么大。但你甭管這些。我會(huì)把自己的藍(lán)格子圍裙交給你，你把它鋪在地上。然后你趕緊起身，抓住那條狗，把它放在我的圍裙上。這時(shí)你打開箱子，你愛拿多少錢就拿多少，不過這都是些銅錢。如果你想要銀子，那你還得進(jìn)到第二個(gè)房間。那兒也坐著一條狗，眼睛大如水車輪子。但別在乎它，把它放到我的圍裙上，再拿些錢。如果你還想得到金子，你也能得到——實(shí)際上，你想能帶多少就可以拿多少，只要再進(jìn)第三個(gè)房間就是了。那兒蹲在錢箱上的狗，兩只眼睛足有哥本哈根的圓塔那么大！你應(yīng)該知道，這只狗很兇。但盡管如此，你也別害怕。只管把它放在我的圍裙上好了，它不會(huì)傷害你的。你從那只箱子里想拿多少錢，就拿多少?！?/p>

“這真不賴，”士兵說，“但我該給你什么呢，你這個(gè)老巫婆？我想你肯定不會(huì)白幫忙吧?！?/p>

“我不要什么，”老巫婆說，“我一個(gè)子兒都不要。你只要把一個(gè)舊打火盒給我?guī)蟻砭托辛?，那是我奶奶上次下去時(shí)忘了給落下的。”

“那就把繩子系在我身上吧?！笔勘蠼械馈?/p>

于是士兵爬上樹，讓自己滑到那個(gè)洞里。正像老巫婆講的那樣，他站在了一個(gè)大廳里，里面有成百上千盞燈照著。

他打開第一扇門。哇！一條眼睛有茶杯那么大的狗坐在那兒，直瞪著他?！澳阏媸莻€(gè)好伙計(jì)！”士兵叫道。他把狗放在老巫婆的圍裙上，在自己的衣服口袋里裝滿了銅錢。然后他鎖好箱子，又把狗放在上面，來到第二個(gè)房間。啊哈！這兒蹲著的狗，眼睛有水車輪子那么大。

“你別那么死盯著我，”士兵說，“別把你眼睛給瞪壞了。”他把狗放到巫婆的圍裙上。當(dāng)他看到箱子里的銀錢時(shí)，就把他身上的銅錢全給扔了，只把銀錢裝在自己的衣袋和背包里。然后他走進(jìn)第三個(gè)房間。噢!太可怕了！那只狗的眼睛足有圓塔那么大，兩只眼在頭上轉(zhuǎn)來轉(zhuǎn)去，像兩只大車輪一般。

“晚上好！”士兵說。他摸了一下帽子，表示敬意，因?yàn)樗€從未見過這樣的狗。他又細(xì)細(xì)地觀察一會(huì)兒，心想：“就這么干吧?！彼压繁У降厣?，打開了箱子。天哪！里面有那么多金子！他可以用這些金子把整個(gè)哥本哈根都買下來！連帶上賣餅婦女做的糖豬，還有世上所有的錫兵、馬鞭和搖搖晃晃的木馬！的確，錢就是有那么多！這下士兵把自己衣袋、背包里滿滿的銀幣全都扔了，換成了金子。瞧，他所有的衣服口袋、背包、馬靴、帽子里，全都塞滿了，簡(jiǎn)直動(dòng)彈不得了。他把狗又放回到箱子上去，關(guān)上門，朝樹外大喊：“快把我拉上去，老巫婆。”

“你拿到打火盒了嗎？”巫婆問。

“真該死！”士兵大叫道：“我竟然把這事全忘到腦后了?！彼哌^去，把打火盒帶上。

老巫婆把他拉了上來，他又站到了大路上，口袋里、背包里、靴子里、帽子里全裝滿了金子。

“你要這個(gè)打火盒有什么用？”士兵問。

“這你就甭管了，”老巫婆反駁道，“你拿你的錢——把打火盒給我好了?！?/p>

“少羅嗦！”士兵說，“把話挑明了，你要這東西有什么用？不然我就拔劍剁掉你的腦袋！”巫婆叫道：“我就是不說！”

于是士兵就砍掉了巫婆的腦袋。她倒地而死！士兵把所有的錢都扎進(jìn)老巫婆的圍裙里，像背個(gè)包袱一樣甩在背上，把打火盒放進(jìn)自己的衣服口袋，直奔城里走去。

那真是座壯麗的城市!他住進(jìn)了最好的旅館，訂了最高檔的房間，點(diǎn)了最可口的飯菜，因?yàn)楝F(xiàn)在他已成為富人，手頭有那么多錢。給他擦靴子的仆人肯定會(huì)想，對(duì)于這么一個(gè)富有的紳士來說，這雙靴子真是太舊了。第二天，他買了與自己身份相符的靴子和漂亮的衣服。這下我們的士兵成為一個(gè)優(yōu)雅的紳士了。人們告訴他城里的各種好東西，有關(guān)于國王的事情，還談到公主有多么漂亮。

“到哪兒才能見著她呢？”士兵問。

“她根本就不露面，”大家一起說，“她住在一個(gè)巨大的銅城堡里，四周有許多墻和塔，除了國王，其他人一律不得進(jìn)出。因?yàn)楦鶕?jù)預(yù)言，她將嫁給一個(gè)普通的士兵，這可讓國王受不了?！?/p>

士兵想：“我倒想見見她?！钡麉s沒有辦法。現(xiàn)在他生活得很快樂，去劇院，在國王的御園里駕車，大把大把地給窮人錢。他就是這樣慷慨，因?yàn)樗缇椭?，一個(gè)人身無分文有多么艱難?，F(xiàn)在他有錢了，有好衣服穿，還結(jié)交了許多朋友，他們都說他出類拔萃，是個(gè)真正的騎士。士兵聽了心里美滋滋的。但他每天都在揮霍，卻沒有一點(diǎn)兒進(jìn)賬，最后身上只剩下兩塊錢了。他被迫搬出自己住的豪華房間，住在屋頂?shù)囊粋€(gè)小閣樓上。他不得不自己擦靴子，還自己動(dòng)手縫縫補(bǔ)補(bǔ)。沒有一個(gè)朋友過來看他，因?yàn)橐宜偷门篮荛L很長的樓梯。

一天晚上，天已經(jīng)黑透了，他連一支蠟燭也買不起。他突然想起來，在巫婆幫他進(jìn)去的樹洞里，他帶出的那個(gè)打火盒，里面有一截蠟燭頭。他拿出打火盒，取出蠟燭頭。他擦了一下火石，火星剛冒出來，門就開了，眼睛大如茶杯的狗，就是他在樹里見過的那只，站到他面前，說：“主人有什么吩咐？”

“這是怎么回事？”士兵說，“這原來是個(gè)不平常的打火盒，要是我想要什么，它就能給我?guī)硎裁?，那才好呢?！薄敖o我弄些錢來！”他對(duì)狗說，還打了個(gè)口哨。狗跑開了，又一聲口哨，狗又回來了，嘴里銜來一大袋子錢。

士兵這才知道，這個(gè)打火盒有多么神奇。如果他擦一下，坐在那箱銅錢上的狗就會(huì)過來；如果他擦兩下，有銀子的狗就會(huì)過來；如果他擦三下，有金子的狗就會(huì)過來?，F(xiàn)在士兵又搬回了自己住過的高檔房間，身著漂亮衣服露面了。所有的朋友又認(rèn)得他了，而且都特別關(guān)心他。

有一次，他想：“人們無法去見公主，真是太離奇了。大家都說她長得十分美貌，但如果她永遠(yuǎn)坐在有許多高塔的大銅城堡里，再漂亮又有什么意思呢？難道我就不能去見見她嗎?我的打火盒在哪兒？”于是他擦了一下火，打了個(gè)口哨，兩個(gè)眼睛大如茶杯的狗就過來士兵說：“不錯(cuò)，現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)是半夜了。不過我特別想見到公主，只要見一下就行?！?/p>

狗馬上跑到門外。令士兵意想不到的是，它馬上就把公主帶了過來。她在狗背上，熟睡著。誰都能看出她是位名不虛傳的公主，因?yàn)樗哪訉?shí)在太可愛了。士兵忍不住親吻了她，因?yàn)樗吘惯€是個(gè)大兵呀。

然后狗就馱著公主回去了。第二天一早，國王和王后在喝茶，公主說頭天夜里自己做了個(gè)很怪的夢(mèng)，夢(mèng)見了一條狗和一個(gè)士兵。她騎在狗背上，士兵親吻了她。

“這真是個(gè)有趣的故事！”王后說。

因此，第二天夜里，就有一位老宮女守在公主床邊，看看這到底是個(gè)夢(mèng)，還是真有這回事。

那個(gè)士兵十分渴望再見到可愛的公主。于是，夜里狗又來了，帶著公主，一個(gè)勁兒朝前跑。老宮女穿的是筒靴，她緊追不舍。她看見狗兒背著公主進(jìn)了一座大房子，心想：“我知道這是什么地方了?！彼靡恍〗胤酃P在門上劃了個(gè)大大的十字，然后她回到房間里躺下睡覺。一會(huì)兒狗就把公主送回來了，但它看到士兵住的房門被劃了個(gè)十字，它也拿過一截粉筆，在城里所有人家的門上都劃了個(gè)十字。這事做得很聰明，老宮女無法找到要找的房子，因?yàn)樗械拈T上都有個(gè)十字。

一大早，國王和王后，老宮女和所有侍臣，全都來了，想看看公主到底去過哪里。“是這兒！”國王說，他看見了第一個(gè)門上有十字的房子?！安?，親愛的丈夫，是這兒?！蓖鹾笳f，她看見了另外一個(gè)印有十字的房門。大家都說：“那兒有一個(gè)，那兒也有一個(gè)。”因?yàn)椴还艹膬嚎?，都是印有十字的房門。這回他們才明白，再找也是白費(fèi)功夫了。

但王后是個(gè)聰明過人的女人，可不光會(huì)坐馬車。她拿過自己的一把大金剪子，把一塊絲綢剪成幾片，做了一個(gè)精巧的小口袋。她將袋子里塞滿了上等的麥面，然后系在公主的背上。做好后，她又在袋子上剪了個(gè)洞，這樣面粉就會(huì)撒在公主經(jīng)過的路上。

夜里，狗又來了，背上公主，跑到士兵那里。那個(gè)士兵深深地愛上了她，他想自己要是個(gè)王子該多好，就可以娶公主為妻了。面粉從城堡一直撒到士兵住的房子的窗戶，狗就是從那兒爬進(jìn)來了。狗根本沒有覺察到。早晨，國王和王后清清楚楚地看到女兒去過什么地方，他們抓住士兵，把他關(guān)進(jìn)監(jiān)獄。

士兵坐在那兒。唉，那兒真黑，真難受啊!人們告訴他：“明天你就要被吊死。”這可不是開玩笑的，他還把打火盒丟在旅館里了。早晨，他通過小窗戶的鐵護(hù)欄，看見人們蜂擁出城，來看他被上絞刑。他聽見鼓敲了起來，士兵們?cè)诹嘘?duì)行進(jìn)。所有人都跑出來了，人群中間有個(gè)鞋匠家的小伙計(jì)，系著皮圍裙，穿著拖鞋。他快跑如飛，一只拖鞋甩了出去，正落到士兵身邊的墻上，士兵這時(shí)正通過鐵護(hù)欄朝外張望呢。

“嘿，你這個(gè)鞋匠鋪的小伙計(jì)！不必這么匆忙！”士兵沖他喊，“我到場(chǎng)前是不會(huì)行刑的。但如果你跑到我住過的那個(gè)地方，把我的打火盒拿給我，你能得到四塊錢。但你必須甩開腿猛跑才行?！?/p>

鞋匠的小伙計(jì)想得到四塊錢，就跑去取了打火盒。這下我們來看看會(huì)發(fā)生什么事吧。

在城外，一個(gè)大絞刑架已經(jīng)搭好，四周圍滿了士兵和成千上萬的群眾。國王和王后坐在華美的王座上，對(duì)面是法官和所有審判人員。士兵已經(jīng)站在了梯子上，但正當(dāng)他們準(zhǔn)備把繩套上他的脖子時(shí)，士兵說，在一個(gè)可憐的罪犯受到懲罰以前，都會(huì)讓他提出一項(xiàng)于別人無害的請(qǐng)求。他非常想吸一管煙，這恐怕是他在這個(gè)世界上抽的最后一管煙了。國王對(duì)這個(gè)請(qǐng)求無法說“不”，于是士兵拿過自己的打火盒，擦起火來。一二三！三條狗都來了，一條眼睛大如茶杯，一條眼睛大如水車輪，一條眼睛大如圓塔。

“請(qǐng)幫幫忙，別讓我被吊死?！笔勘f。

三條狗一齊撲向法官和所有審判人員，抓住這個(gè)的胳膊，扭住那個(gè)的鼻子，把他們向空中拋得老高，落下來時(shí)全都給摔得四分五裂。

“別這樣！”國王叫道。但最大的狗瞪著他和王后，接著也把他們?nèi)恿顺鋈?。這下士兵們都害怕了，人群大叫起來：“小兵，你做我們的國王，娶了公主吧！”

于是他們把士兵擁上馬車，三條狗在前面蹦蹦跳跳，叫著：“好啊!”小孩們用手指打響哨，士兵們一齊舉手敬禮。公主從銅城堡里出來了，她也很高興?；槎Y持續(xù)了整整一個(gè)星期，三條狗也上了桌，眼睛睜得比以往任何時(shí)候都要大。