THE GOLDEN GOBLIN

KELCH was a handsome young man who lived in a little village which was near a great black forest, and he thought himself the most miserable being in the world. It was very curious that he should do so, for he was young, good-looking, and healthy, but he did not value any of these gifts, because he was in love with Filina, the prettiest girl in the whole country, and her father wanted her to marry a very rich man called Hocky, for whom she did not in the least care.

Now Filina was also in love with Kelch, and hated the idea of marrying ugly old Hocky, but, as he was rich and Kelch poor, her father would not let her wed as she wished. Kelch had a little cottage near the wood, which had been left to him by his mother, and earned his livelihood by cutting firewood, which, to be sure, was not a very aristocratic occupation. Still, in those days people did not care much for rank, and pretty Filina lovedKelch tenderly in spite of his humble calling. She nearly wept her eyes out when her father said she was to become the bride of Hocky. He was an avaricious old dwarf who only cared for gold, and wanted to marry Filina, not for her beauty, but because he knew she would some day be left money when her father died. When Kelch heard of the proposed marriage, he went to Filina’s father and told of his love, but the cruel parent laughed at his request.

“You marry my daughter!” he said mockingly. “What anidea!—you can give her no money.”

“But I can give her love,” said Kelch sturdily, “and that is much better than money.”

“I don’t think so,” retorted Filina’s father. “Any one can make love, but few can make money, so go back to your wood-cutting, and don’t come to me with such silly requests.”

“Is there no chance for me?” cried Kelch in despair.

“Yes—one,” answered the old man mockingly. “Become as rich as Hocky, and you shall marry my daughter.”

Poor Kelch went away with tears in his eyes, because old Hocky was known to be very wealthy, and how could an unknown youth hope to become rich when he had no one to help him? It was no good feeling sad, however, for sorrow would not help him to win Filina, so Kelch determined to go to the castle of the Wicked Baron who lived in the centre of the forest, and ask him to make him a present of some gold.

The Wicked Baron was a famous miser, and his castle was said to be full of gold, so, in spite of his bad character, Kelch thought he would not refuse to give him a little out of his plenty. So early one morning, after saying good-bye to Filina, he went into the forest to search for the Wicked Baron’s castle, and ask its owner to give him some gold.

Kelch wandered deeper and deeper into the forest, which became wilder and more savage as he advanced, but still he did not come across the looked-for castle. Night was coming on, and the wood was full of sombre shadows, while behind the trees flushed the fierce red light of the setting sun. It was a faery forest, and all the ground was covered with soft grass, and strange flowers which only bloomed at night-time; while overhead the nightingales sang most deliciously in the trees,and at intervals the wise owls hooted in the most unexpected manner.

As it was now quite dark, Kelch thought he would sleep under a great oak tree until the morning, and then once more set out upon his travels; so he ate some food he had brought with him, drank from a stream which sparkled by, and after saying his prayers,—for he was a good lad,—rested his head upon his knapsack and went fast asleep.

In the middle of the night, however, he woke suddenly under the influence of enchantment, for the whole of the forest was flooded with the silver moonlight, and on every side the faeries were holding their revels. Having drank of the waters of the brook, Kelch had come under the charm of faery power, and, to his surprise, was able to understand the talk of two elves who sat chattering to one another on the broad white cup of a lily.

“Who is this youth lying asleep?” asked the first elf, never thinking for a moment Kelch was awake, and only kept his eyes closed in order to hear what they had to say.

“He is called Kelch,” said the other elf, “and loves Filina, who is to marry old Hocky. He is now searching for the castle of the Wicked Baron, to ask for gold.”

“He’ll never find it,” observed the first faery, “unless he asks the Owl who lives in the oak tree under which he sleeps.”

“Then I will ask the Owl,” cried Kelch, sitting up, whereupon both faeries flew away in great alarm, much to his regret, as he wanted to make inquiries about the Owl.

He looked up at the tree, but could see nothing save the branches interlaced against the clear sky, and now and then a gleam of moonlight on the rough bark of the trunk. As Kelchhad often heard that song was the only way to invoke faeries, he thought he would try the same means with the owl. So, springing to his feet, he began to sing, making up the words as he went along:

“Fairy Owl,Clever fowl,Please tell meWhere to seeThe castle old,Where Baron boldHoards up his gold.”

“Fairy Owl,

Clever fowl,

Please tell me

Where to see

The castle old,

Where Baron bold

Hoards up his gold.”

The words were not very good, but they told exactly what he wanted to know, and the Owl put her head out of a hole in the tree with a wild hoot, her eyes glowing red like burning coals.

“Go away, boy,” croaked the Owl angrily, “and do not disturb me in my grief. The Baron is dead, and I am in mourning for him.”

“The Baron dead!” cried Kelch in dismay. “Oh dear! then I won’t be able to get any gold. I don’t know, though—he can’t have taken his gold with him, so it must be there still. Owl!—Owl!—where’s the castle?”

The Owl hooted crossly, and then replied:

“Follow the brookTo open ground,Then upward look,And all around.Jump water cold,Then you will seeThe castle oldFrown o’er the lea.”

“Follow the brook

To open ground,

Then upward look,

And all around.

Jump water cold,

Then you will see

The castle old

Frown o’er the lea.”

The Owl drew back her head into the hole, and Kelch, taking her advice, followed the windings of the brook through the forest. There never was such a winding brook; first it twisted one way, then another, curled round trees, hid under rocks, fell down precipices in sheets of foam, and even flowed up a gentle incline. At last it began to grow straighter, and finally led Kelch into a wide open glade girdled with trees, but flowed directly in front of him, so that, in order to reach the glade, he would have to cross it.

“I don’t see any castle,” said Kelch to himself; “but then the Owl said, ‘Jump water cold,’ so if I cross this brook, which evidently renders the castle invisible, I will see it.”

As soon as he made up his mind to do this, he jumped over, and, on landing safely on the opposite bank, saw before him a great castle, with many towers all overgrown with ivy. So Kelch was right, the brook rendered the castle invisible, and unless he had jumped across it he would have seen nothing.

Kelch saw no lights in the castle, but, being a brave lad, he did not mind that, so marched boldly forward, climbed up a broken-down flight of steps leading to the front door, and, finding it open, entered. It was all dark inside, but Kelch had a bit of candle in his pocket, and, having lighted it, he set out to explore the castle, which was evidently quite deserted.

He wandered through room after room, all of which were quite empty, and inhabited by nothing but spiders, there not even being a rat. The moonlight streamed into the lonely halls through the painted glass of the windows, and filled them with strange shadows, but Kelch, knowing that he had done noone harm, was not afraid, and began singing to keep up his spirits:

“Thro’ lonely halls,Wander, wander;The moonlight fallsYonder, yonder;Tho’ dark appals,Ponder, ponder.Sad thoughts arise,Weary, weary;The night-wind sighs,Dreary, dreary;I hear strange cries,Eerie, eerie.”

“Thro’ lonely halls,Wander, wander;The moonlight fallsYonder, yonder;Tho’ dark appals,Ponder, ponder.

“Thro’ lonely halls,

Wander, wander;

The moonlight falls

Yonder, yonder;

Tho’ dark appals,

Ponder, ponder.

Sad thoughts arise,Weary, weary;The night-wind sighs,Dreary, dreary;I hear strange cries,Eerie, eerie.”

Sad thoughts arise,

Weary, weary;

The night-wind sighs,

Dreary, dreary;

I hear strange cries,

Eerie, eerie.”

And indeed he did hear strange cries, sometimes like the roaring of wild beasts, then shrill sounds like the piping of winds upon sandy beaches, sometimes a cry of pain, and at time as burst of wild laughter. In order to protect himself, he drew his hunting-knife from his girdle, and went in the direction from whence the noises proceeded. When he did this, he found himself descending the stairs, and thought he must now be going to the cellars where the Wicked Baron kept his gold. The noises grew louder and louder as he descended, and at last all dwindled down to one harsh voice, which was singing this song:

“The Goblin GoldenHere you will find;From ages oldenI’ve ruled mankind.Another victimI now will bind;When I have tricked himHe’ll sorrow find.”

“The Goblin GoldenHere you will find;From ages oldenI’ve ruled mankind.

“The Goblin Golden

Here you will find;

From ages olden

I’ve ruled mankind.

Another victimI now will bind;When I have tricked himHe’ll sorrow find.”

Another victim

I now will bind;

When I have tricked him

He’ll sorrow find.”

Kelch had by this time come to the end of a long dark passage, and was stopped by an iron door, under which gleamed a line of bright yellow light. He knocked, then suddenly with a loud crash the door flew open, and he saw before him a circular room illuminated with the bright yellow light. In the centre was a great pile of gold coins, on the top of which was seated a funny little man.

Such a queer figure he was, with a great fat body like a bag of money tied round the top with a golden cord, so that it made a ruffle for his neck, and above this was an enormous head with two fierce yellow eyes, a great beak of a nose, and a wide mouth, which when open showed long golden teeth. He had short little legs, with long peaked shoes of gold, and in his hands held a golden sceptre, while on top of his great head of yellow hair was a huge crown of heavy gold set with flashing diamonds. He had a yellow skin and yellow clothes,—in fact, he was yellow all over, and he sat cross-legged on the top of the heap of gold, grinning and nodding at Kelch till the diamonds in his crown glittered like great stars.

“I am the Golden Goblin,” he cried in a harsh voice, when he saw the lad, “and I know what you come for, so take as much gold as you like and go.”

“But where is the Wicked Baron?” asked Kelch.

“He has gone to my kingdom below,” said the Goblin, grinning; “he was my servant, and had as much gold as hewanted, on condition he came with me when he died, so he did die last year, and I’ve got him safe in my kingdom.”

“I AM THE GOLDEN GOBLIN,” HE CRIED IN A HARSH VOICE

Kelch’s hair arose on end at this, so wicked did the Goblin look, but as he had done no harm, he was not afraid.

“Can I take some gold?” he asked; “I want some in order to marry Filina.”

“You can take as much gold as you like,” replied the Goblin graciously, “on condition that you put this ring on Filina’s finger as a present from me.”

“Oh, I don’t mind that,” said Kelch, taking the gold ring held out to him by the Goblin. “Thank you kindly; it will do for a wedding ring.”

“Exactly,” cried the Goblin, nodding his ugly head; “it will do for a wedding ring. Now, fill your pockets with this gold, and it will do for Filina’s dowry.”

“But then this gold belongs to the Baron.”

“No, it doesn’t; he’s dead, and it belongs to whomsoever I choose to give it,” roared the little man, kicking several pieces across the floor. “All the gold in the world is mine—take as much as you like, and don’t say I’m not kind.”

You may be sure Kelch did not require a second invitation, and filled all his pockets with money, so that he bulged out all over in the most grotesque manner. While he did so, the Golden Goblin jumped off the heap and danced about the room, singing the queerest songs Kelch had ever heard. When his pockets were quite full, he thanked the Goblin and said good-bye.

“Good-bye,” cried the Goblin, as Kelch went to the door,“till I see you again.”

“You’ll never see me again,” returned Kelch, rather annoyed.

“Oh yes, I will,” grinned the yellow man, jumping up again on the golden heap. “Don’t forget to marry Filina with my ring.”

“No, I won’t forget,” said Kelch; and then the Goblin burst out laughing, while all the gold upon which he was seated commenced to whirl round, until Kelch could not see the little man, but only a gleaming column of gold, which was at first as high as the roof, then sank lower and lower until it disappeared through the floor. Then the yellow light commenced to fade, so Kelch, seeing there was no time to be lost, left the chamber and hurried up-stairs as hard as ever he could.

Feeling very delighted that he had attained his object, he left the castle of the Wicked Baron and jumped across the brook. When he did so, the magic castle disappeared, and Kelch, with the gold in his pockets and the ring upon his finger, followed the windings of the brook until he arrived back at the oak tree.

“Oh, you’ve got back!” cried the Owl, putting out her head.

“Yes; and I’ve got the gold, thank you,” said Kelch cheerfully.

“Much good may it do you,” hooted the Owl, and withdrew her head again.

Kelch thought the Owl was very rude, but as she had done him a great service, he said nothing, but walked through the forest, and on arriving at the outskirts went straight home just as the red dawn was breaking in the east.

During the day he went to Filina’s father and gave him all the gold he had obtained from the castle of the Wicked Baron,upon which the old man was so delighted that he at once gave his consent to the marriage, much to the disgust of Hocky, who was very envious of Kelch’s good fortune.

In the evening Filina’s father gave a dance on the village green in honour of his daughter’s marriage, and while the merrymaking was going on, Kelch took the opportunity to slip the Goblin’s ring on Filina’s finger. No sooner had he done so, than, to the dismay of every one, the poor girl vanished out of their sight, and Kelch was in despair.

Filina’s father was very angry at the disappearance of his daughter, and his rage was further increased by Hocky, who said that Kelch must have promised to give Filina to the Goblin in exchange for the gold. All the villagers believed this malicious story, and drove Kelch from his home with sticks and stones. So the poor lad found himself at last seated once more under the oak tree, having lost Filina, his gold, his home, and his good name.

Itwas now night-time once more, and the wood was again full of merry faeries, but Kelch was too much taken up with his own sorrows to notice them, although the pranks they played would have amused the saddest person in the world. However, when things are at their worst they generally begin to mend, as Kelch soon found out, for, while he was lamenting his evil fortune, theOwl put her head out of the hole in the oak tree and hooted loudly, “Tu-whit! tu-whoo!” Kelch looked up, and, knowing owls to be wise birds, fond of word-twistings, made instant reply.

“True wit I have not owing to my sorrow, and I go not to woo because Filina has been taken from me.”

“Very neat indeed,” replied Mrs. Owl politely. “I see you have the real court air.”

“It must be natural, then,” said Kelch, with a sigh, “because I’ve never been to court.”

“Never mind,” observed the Owl, nodding her head sagely; “perhaps you will go some day. But why do you sit under my tree and cry?”

“Because I’m so miserable,” said Kelch, and thereupon he told the Owl all his troubles in connection with Filina. The Owl listened attentively with her head on one side, and, when he came to the end of his story, wiped her eyes with a dry leaf, for she was a very tender-hearted bird, and felt very sorry for Kelch.

“Ah, that Goblin, I know him well!” she said, when she had recovered from her emotion; “he has carried off my friend the Wicked Baron, who was no more wicked than you, except that he was too fond of gold. Ah, that was his ruin! for if it had not been for his love of money, the Golden Goblin would never have carried him off.”

“Why did he carry him off?” asked Kelch.

“Because once a year the Golden Goblin has to make the offering of a human being to the King of Fire, for if he did not, the King of Fire would invade the Realm of Gold, and destroythe kingdom of the Golden Goblin. He offered the Baron as the last victim, and the next will be Filina.”

“Filina!” cried Kelch in a tone of despair. “Oh no, it can’t be true.”

“It is true—quite true,” replied the Owl in a dignified manner. “The ring he gave you is a magic ring, and as soon as it was placed on Filina’s finger, she vanished from the earth.”

“She did—she did! but where is she now?”

“Down below in the Realm of Gold. To-morrow she will be given up as the bride of the King of Fire.”

“Cannot I save her?”

“I don’t know,” said the Owl reflectively. “If your heart is strong, and you don’t feel afraid, perhaps you may.”

“Oh, I’m not afraid!” cried Kelch quickly. “Do help me to save her, dear Mrs. Owl—please do!”

“I’ll help you to save Filina and punish wicked old Hocky on one condition,” said the Owl slowly; “and that is that you never cut down my oak tree yourself, or let any one else cut it down.”

“Oh, I’ll promise that,” answered Kelch earnestly. “Your oak tree will always be safe.”

“Then you keep your promise and I’ll keep mine,” cried the Owl. “Now, first you must get to the Realm of Gold.”

“But how?”

“Don’t be impatient, and I’ll tell you. The way to the Realm of Gold is down the trunk of this oak tree, so if you climb up to my nest, I’ll show you how to crawl down.”

“But I’m too big,” said Kelch, looking at his sturdy figure.

“Oh, that will be all right; climb up to my nest, and as you climb you’ll grow smaller.”

Kelch lost no time in obeying Mrs. Owl, and started to climb up the great trunk of the oak tree. As he did so, he found himself shrinking every minute, and when he arrived at the nest he was only two feet high, and able to enter the hole without bowing his head.

The Owl received him very graciously, and showed him her home, which was beautifully furnished with dry grass, and curtains of green moss.

“These are my books,” said Mrs. Owl, showing him some dried leaves; “for I read a great deal—it improves my mind. The Faery Minervetta gave me these beautiful volumes.”

“They look like dried leaves,” observed Kelch.

“To you; yes, because you are a mortal, but I am a faery owl, and can read faery books. However, there’s no time to be lost, or Filina will become the bride of the King of Fire, and then I cannot help you. Now, take this phial of water.”

“What good will it do?” asked Kelch, putting the phial in his pocket.

“A great deal of good,” replied the Owl severely; “all the subjects of the Golden Goblin are mortals who are discontented with their lot, and want gold to buy all sorts of bad things; that phial contains the water of contentment, and if you sprinkle it over the men and women you find in the Realm of Gold, they will grow satisfied with their station in life, and not want any gold; therefore the Goblin will lose all his subjects. When he sees that, he’ll soon make terms with you, and then you candemand back Filina.”

“I understand,” said Kelch; “but how do the men and women get to the Realm of Gold if they are mortal?”

“They go in their dreams,” replied the Owl. “When they are awake during the day they live on earth, but at night in their sleep they go down to the Realm of Gold to be the slaves of the Golden Goblin; and, indeed, many of them are his slaves in the day as well as in the night. Now go away at once, or you’ll be late.”

Kelch thanked the kind Owl, and, going through a little door at the back of the nest, commenced to clamber down the inside of the oak tree trunk, while the Owl resumed her studies.

“I’ve saved my tree,” said the Owl to herself sagaciously; “no one will cut it down now. Ah, there’s no doubt I’m really a very wise owl!”

And indeed she was; for she had gained by kindness what she never would have gained by force, which shows that it is best to be gentle in all things if we want to be successful.

Meanwhile, Kelch, being completely in the dark, did not know his way, and in spite of all his care suddenly slipped and fell right down the centre of the tree trunk. However, as he was in Faeryland, he felt no fear, for, indeed, he was falling quite gently, as the air was so heavy, and he was so small and light. Down, down he fell through the darkness, till at last he came bump upon a cushion of moss which was at the foot of the tree. Here there was a faint glimmer of light, and he saw above him the mighty roots of the oak stretching out in all directions like the rafters of a huge hall. His eyes soon became accustomed to the glimmering twilight in which he now found himself, and he looked around to see where he would go next.Through the misty blue light he espied a small hole which seemed to lead downward in a gentle slope, but it was so dark that he felt rather afraid to enter into it. Suddenly he saw that the misty blue light was caused by the radiance of some decayed wood which lay about, so, catching up a piece, he advanced boldly into the hole, and soon discovered that it gave him sufficient light to see a short distance before him.

Kelch was now in a narrow tunnel, the sides, floor, and roof of which were nothing but rough rock, but as he advanced these commenced to glisten with jewels, until they reflected the light of his decayed wood torch so brightly, that he walked in the centre of a brilliant blaze. At last the passage ended suddenly at a deep hole, up which rushed a current of warm air. There seemed no way of getting down, but Kelch, remembering his experience in the oak tree, never hesitated for a moment, but flung himself boldly into the hole. The warm air bore him up, and he fell gently for a long time, seeing the sides of the hole rushing past him one blaze of light, like a splendid jewel. The air grew hotter and hotter as he fell, until at length he tumbled right into the centre of a heap of gold dust, which made him sneeze dreadfully. All around him was a soft golden light, such as he had seen in the treasure vault of the Wicked Baron; so, throwing away his useless torch, he jumped to his feet and looked about him.

He was now in the middle of a large plain, and could see neither the sides nor the roof of what he thought must be a cavern, as it was below the earth, but only a soft gold mist floating above him, and surrounding him on all sides, while the ground was covered with fine glittering gold dust, in which laygreat rocks and stones of pure yellow gold, gleaming dully in the subdued yellow twilight.

It was truly a wonderful place, and what was more wonderful was, that Kelch now found he had grown again to his natural size; so, very satisfied with everything, he marched along over the plain to look for the Golden Goblin.

For a long time the plain was quite lonely, and then he saw one or two people in the distance; shortly afterwards, some more, until at length he found himself among a great crowd of shadows. Kelch knew they were dream-shadows, although they looked like flesh and blood men and women, and he moved through the dense mass quite unnoticed, so intent were they on their occupations. These consisted in picking up nuggets of gold from the ground and putting them in their pockets; but Kelch noticed that all their pockets had the bottoms cut off, so that when the nuggets were put in, they simply fell through to the ground once more. Some of the shadows wore chains of gold, of which they seemed very proud, and not one person paid any attention to another, but each bent eagerly down gathering up the gold, and putting it into their bottomless pockets. There were old white-headed men, palsied elderly women, men in the prime of life, and beautiful maidens; but all their faces wore the same eager expression, as they clutched the shining gold.

Kelch could not help pitying them as they worked at their fruitless tasks, but he knew they did it of their own free will, so that the work which appeared a pain to him was a pleasure to them.

Suddenly he recollected the phial given to him by the Owl, and, as he did not see anything of the Goblin, pulled it out ofhis pocket and began to sprinkle the water of contentment on the avaricious shadows.

Every time a drop fell on one of them, that shadow vanished, and Kelch knew that it had returned to its sleeping body on earth, quite contented with its station in life, and would look no more for gold.

Hundreds of shadows vanished as he sprinkled them with the water of contentment, when all at once a quiver passed through the crowd, and before Kelch had time to wink, the Golden Goblin, with his eyes blazing with rage, stood before him, looking uglier than ever.

“Ho! ho!” cried the Goblin furiously; “it is you who are trying to rob me of my subjects—but I’ll give you to the King of Fire. Seize him at once!”

A crowd of grotesque goblins, all very like their master, rushed forward and tried to seize Kelch, but he sprinkled them with the magic water, which burnt like fire, and they all tumbled back in a confused mass. The Golden Goblin stamped with rage, but was afraid to come near Kelch, lest he also should be sprinkled with the water of contentment.

“What do you want?” he shouted, as Kelch paused for a moment. “I told you we would meet again—but what do you want?”

“You know well enough,” retorted Kelch coolly. “I want Filina—you stole my Filina from me.”

“She’s mine now,” said the Goblin in a grumbling tone, “and I’m going to give her as a bride to the King of Fire; besides, I paid you well for her—you took a lot of gold.”

“Yes, but that was a present,” cried Kelch hotly. “I never said I would let you steal my future wife; I want Filina, not your gold.”

“Don’t want gold!” said the Goblin in astonishment; “you are the first mortal I ever heard say that.”

“I’ve got no time to talk,” observed Kelch, raising the phial, “so if you don’t give me back my Filina, I’ll leave you without a single subject.”

“Stop, stop!” cried the Goblin in consternation; “don’t do that. Come with me to my palace, and I will give you back your Filina—on conditions.”

“I won’t make any conditions,” said Kelch, as they walked along; “I want my Filina, and nothing else.”

The Golden Goblin grinned angrily at this, but as Kelch had the phial, and could make his subjects vanish, he was afraid to say anything as they glided rapidly along to the palace. It was gliding and not walking, for Kelch found that though his legs did not move, still he seemed to be approaching nearer to the great gold castle in which the Goblin held his court.

It was all built of shining gold, with innumerable towers, and huge windows of diamond glass. There was a great flight of steps leading to the front door, and the Goblin ran up these, followed by Kelch, until at length they came to a great hall with many golden pillars, and an immense domed roof all glittering with jewels.

The Goblin went to the end of this hall, and, having seated himself upon his throne, which was cut out of one gigantic diamond, he offered Kelch a goblet filled with liquid gold.

“I won’t drink that,” said Kelch, and dashed the goblet outof the little man’s hand.

“Just as well you refused,” replied the Goblin complacently, pointing to a golden statue that stood near the throne, “or you would have become like that.”

Kelch turned to examine the statue, and saw to his grief that it was pretty Filina thus changed. Every hair of her head, every fold of her dress was there, but she was nothing but a stiff golden statue.

“I can’t take my Filina back like this,” he cried, turning to the Goblin, who sat on his throne grinning at Kelch’s sorrow.

“I don’t mean you to,” retorted the Goblin; “it’s far too valuable a statue to give to you.”

“Filina is still more valuable.”

“Would you rather have Filina than all that gold?”

“Yes, a thousand times!” said Kelch boldly.

The Goblin looked rather discomfited at this, and nodded several times as if puzzled.

“You’re too good for me,” he observed at length; “I can gain no power over you. But if I give you back Filina, how am I to pay my yearly tribute to the King of Fire? If I don’t do it, he will burn all my kingdom to cinders.”

“He can’t burn it to cinders when it’s all gold,” cried Kelch; “but can’t I find you a substitute for Filina?”

“Ah, that’s a good idea!” screamed the goblin, while all his ugly little courtiers jumped with joy at this solution of the problem. “Bring me Hocky, and I’ll give you Filina.”

“But what will you do to Hocky?” asked Kelch anxiously, for even to rescue Filina he was unwilling to bring harm to any one else.

“I’ll give him to the King of Fire.”

“But he’ll be burnt up.”

“Only the bad part of him,” said the Golden Goblin; “all that is good in him will not be touched by the fire. When he is quite purified by the fire, he will be allowed to return to earth again, and instead of being a bad man as he is now, he will be very good.”

“In that case I don’t mind,” replied Kelch, much relieved. “But how am I to give you Hocky in exchange for Filina?”

“Oh, that’s easily done,” said the Goblin, holding out to Kelch a cup filled with some liquor which sparkled like diamonds. “Drink this, and you will be immediately transported back to your cottage. There you will find Filina, who will still be a statue of gold. Get Hocky to pull off the ring that is on her finger and put it on one of his own, then Filina will become flesh and blood once more, and Hocky will vanish.”

“Where to?” asked Kelch, taking the cup of diamond water from the Goblin.

“Down here,” replied the Goblin, grinning; “then I’ll give him to the King of Fire, and when all the bad is burnt out of him, he’ll go back to earth again. Come, drink up.”

“No tricks,” said Kelch, placing the goblet to his lips.

“On the honour of a king,” answered the Goblin, placing his yellow hand on his yellow breast; “but be quick, for there’s no time to be lost.”

So Kelch drained the goblet to the dregs, and as he did so all the golden palace seemed to spin round and round as he fell down on the ground. He knew nothing more that happenedtill he woke up, feeling quite bright and gay, when he found himself lying on the floor of his own cottage, and the morning sun shining through the window.

Findinghimself at home, Kelch jumped to his feet with a cry, for at the end of the room he saw the golden statue of Filina standing in the sunlight, with outstretched arms, as if she were imploring him to release her from the enchantment. Kelch hurried forward and saw the magic ring was still on her finger, but it looked too firmly fixed to pull off, and although he tried, he could not get it away. The only thing to be done was to bring Hocky to the cottage and let him try, and as the Goblin had fulfilled his promise of placing both Kelch and the statue at home, the youth had no doubt that everything else would soon come all right.

He hurried out into the open air, and found all the villagers returning from the fields for their noonday meal. They scowled at Kelch as he passed, and asked how a wicked magician like him dared to return to the village from whence he had been driven.

Kelch, however, never minded their anger, but ran to the village green, where he found Hocky talking to Filina’s father.

“Here’s that wicked magician!” cried Hocky when he saw Kelch, for he hated the youth almost as much as the villagershated himself. “Drive him away.”

“He robbed me of my daughter,” said Filina’s father, lifting up his staff, as the men and women of the village broke into murmurs of anger.

“I have come back to restore her,” said Kelch boldly; “and if you come with me to my cottage, you will find her there.”

On hearing this, Filina’s father, followed by Hocky and all the villagers, hastened to the cottage, and there they saw the golden statue.

“It is my daughter sure enough!” cried Filina’s father, with tears in his eyes; “but she is changed into gold.”

“Would you rather have your daughter living, or her golden statue?” asked Kelch, looking at the old man.

“Say the golden statue,” whispered Hocky, pulling the father’s sleeve.

“No, no!” cried Filina’s father, shaking his head; “no gold would recompense me for the loss of my daughter.”

“But your daughter is going to marry me,” said Hocky.

“Yes, that is true,” replied the old man.

“Then I would rather have her as a golden statue,” shrieked Hocky avariciously, approaching Kelch.

“You hear what he says!” cried Kelch: “I love Filina for herself, Hocky loves her because she is turned to gold, and would rather see the father unhappy than let her be alive again.”

“She’s mine,” said Hocky rudely, getting in front of the golden statue; “I have her father’s word, and all this gold is my own.”

“What will you do with her?” asked Filina’s father tremulously.

“Melt her down into broad gold pieces,” roared Hocky, dancing; “into the furnace she shall go.”

“What! melt my daughter!” said the old man in a wrathful tone. “Never! You shall not have her—sooner than that I’ll give her to Kelch.”

“Keep your promise, and I’ll change her into a living woman once more,” cried Kelch eagerly. “I love your daughter for her own sake.”

“Give me my daughter once more, and you will be her husband,” said Filina’s father quickly.

“No—no!” yelled Hocky; “the statue is mine—mine!”

“What do you all say?” said Kelch, turning to the villagers. “You drove me from my home because you said I was a magician; now I have brought back Filina, and can restore her to life, so you see I am not so bad as you thought I was.”

“You shall be her husband!” cried the villagers; “we believe you to be a good lad.”

“If you give him the golden statue, I’ll ruin the whole village!” cried Hocky in a rage. “You know I can do it.”

And indeed it was the truth, for Hocky had lent the villagers a lot of money, and in return they had given over their lands and houses to him, so he was really owner of the whole place. All the villagers were dismayed at this, and Filina’s father began to weep, for he thought he would never hear his daughter’s merry voice again, when Kelch spoke.

“I’ll restore Filina to life and get rid of Hocky, if you withdraw your accusations of my being a magician.”

“Yes, yes!” they all cried; “you are no magician—you area good man, and shall marry Filina.”

“And how will you get rid of me?” asked Hocky, angrily turning to Kelch.

“By giving you more gold than you ever saw before in your life,” replied Kelch. “Will you agree to that?”

“Yes, I will,” replied Hocky greedily, “if you give me more gold than I’ve got, and more gold than there is in this statue of Filina.”

“Very well,” observed Kelch; “in order to see more gold than you ever saw in your life, all you’ve got to do is to pull that ring off Filina’s finger and place it on your own.”

“Hurrah!” cried Hocky, turning to the statue. “I’ll do it at once.”

He pulled the ring off the finger of the statue with the greatest ease, and slipped it on his own with a greedy laugh, when suddenly there was a loud crash like thunder, and Hocky vanished into air, while Filina, once more a bright, laughing girl, hastened forward to kiss her father.

“Where is Hocky?” asked all the villagers, when they had congratulated Filina.

“Gone where he’ll never trouble you again,” replied Kelch, with a laugh, taking his sweetheart in his arms. “Now, am I to marry Filina?”

“Yes, yes! Hurrah!” every one cried.

Then Filina put on her bridal dress, all the village was deckedwith flags, the school children received a half-holiday, and Kelch married his sweetheart that afternoon.

They lived long and happily together, and when Filina’s father died, he left them all his property, and the gold Kelch had brought from the castle of the Wicked Baron. Hocky never came back again, which made Kelch think that he must have had a lot of bad in him, as it took such a long time to burn out.

Kelch paid a visit to the oak tree and thanked the kind Owl; when she, hearing that the Wicked Baron’s castle was in ruins, left her oak tree and went to live there, where no doubt she is still.

Kelch and Filina lived happily ever afterwards, and had lots of children, to whom their father often told the story of his adventures with the Golden Goblin.

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