Now it so happened that as he was passing a thicket, that a little Mannikin came out and cried: ‘Whither away, my merry fellow? I see your troubles are not too heavy to be borne.’
‘Why should I be sad?’ answered the Servant. ‘I have three years’ wages in my pocket.’
‘And how much is your treasure?’ asked the Mannikin.
‘How much? Why, three good farthings.’
‘Listen!’ said the Mannikin. ‘I am a poor needy fellow; give me your three farthings. I can’t work any more; but you are young, and can easily earn your bread.’
Now the Servant had a good heart, and he was sorry for the poor little man, so he gave him his three farthings, and said:
‘Take them, in the name of heaven! I shall not miss them.’
‘Then,’ said the Mannikin, ‘I see what a good heart you have. I will give you three wishes, one for each farthing; and every wish shall be fulfilled.’
‘Aha!’ said the Servant, ‘you are a wonder-worker I see. Very well, then. First, I wish for a gun which will hit everything I aim at; secondly, for a fiddle which will make every one dance when I play; and, thirdly, if I ask anything of any one, that he shall not be able to refuse my request.’
‘You shall have them all,’ said the Mannikin, diving into the bushes, where, wonderful to relate, lay the gun and the fiddle ready, just as if they had been ordered beforehand. He gave them to the Servant, and said: ‘No one will be able to refuse anything you ask.’
‘Heart alive! what more can one desire,’ said the Servant to himself, as he went merrily on.
Soon after, he met a Jew with a long goat’s beard, who was standing still listening to the song of a bird sitting on the top of a tree. ‘Good heavens!’ he was saying, ‘what a tremendous noise such a tiny creature makes. If only it were mine! If one could but put some salt upon its tail!’
‘If that is all,’ said the Servant, ‘the bird shall soon come down.’
