Page:Popular Tales of the Germans (Volume 2).djvu/171

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
NUMBER-NIP.
167

company them to the extremity of his domain, they took their leave, with a firm promiſe to pay their reſpects to him on their return.

No ſooner had the Gnome arrived back at his caſtle, than he ſummoned Mr. Curly-pate to an examination: that gentleman had been furniſhed with lodgings in a ſubterraneous dungeon, and he had ſpent the night in fearful expectation of the things that were to come to paſs. ‘Vile miſcreant!’ ſaid the indignant ſprite, as he was brought in, ‘what ſhould hinder me from trampling thee to pieces in my anger, for attempting in my territories a piece of villainy, calculated to throw ſo much obloquy upon my name? Thy hide, be aſſured, ſhall pay for thy audacity.’—‘High and mighty regent of the Giant-mountains,’ anſwered flyboots, very coolly, ‘however excluſive may be your pretenſions to this domain, and I by no means preſume to queſtion your title, tell me, I pray, where I may find

‘the