capricious child, threw away the bilberries that the affectionate mother gave him, crying all the while as if he had been ſpitted. This was too much for her patience; ſo ſhe called out, ‘Number-Nip! do come, and eat me up this ſqualling child.’ That moment the ſpirit appeared in his collier’s ſhape, and, ſtepping up to the woman, ſaid, ‘Here am I, what is thy will?’ This apparition threw her into great conſternation; but, as ſhe was none of your nervous hyſterical damſels, ſhe ſoon collected her ſpirits: and taking courage ſhe replied, ‘I called thee only to ſtill the children, and now they have done crying I have no further occaſion for thee, but am, nevertheleſs, obliged for thy good will.’ ‘Doſt thou not know,’ returned the Gnome, ‘that no one takes ſuch a liberty here, without paying dear for his raſhneſs? I will take thee at thy word: give me the child that cried, and I will eat him up; I have not met with ſuch a tender morſel this many a day.’
On
