Карлик-ніс

           Everydetailhehadtoldherofhischildhoodwascorrect,andyetshecouldnotbelieveitpossiblethathecouldhavebeenchangedintoasquirrel,besideswhichshedidnotbelieveinfairies,goodorevil.

           Whenshelookedattheuglylittledwarfshefounditimpossibletoaccepthimasherson.Shethoughtthebestthingthatcouldbedonewastotalkthematteroverwithherhusband,andsoshecollectedherbasketsandsheandJacobwentbacktothecobbler’sshop."Seehere,"shesaid,"thisfellowdeclaresheisourlostJacob.Hehasdescribedtomeexactlyhowhewasstolenawaysevenyearsagoandhowhehasbeenbewitchedbyabadfairy."

           "Indeed,"criedthecobblerangrily,"hehastoldyouexactlywhatItoldhimanhourago,andhastriedtotakeyouinwithhisstory.Bewitchedwashe,well,Iwilldisenchantthislittlesonofmine."Sosaying,thecobblertookabundleofleatherstrappingsand,seizingpoorJacob,whippedhimmercifully,untilthepoorfellow,screamingwithpain,managedtomakehisescape.Itisstrangehowlittlesympathyisevershowntoanunfortunatebeingwhohappenstohaveanythingridiculousabouthisappearance.

           ThiswasthereasonthatpoorJacobwasobligedtopassallthatdayandnightwithouttastingfoodandthathehadnobettercouchthanthecoldstepsofachurch.But,notwithstanding,hesleptuntilthemorningsunroseandwakenedhim,andthenhesethimselfearnestlytoconsiderhowhewastoearnalivelihoodforhimself,seeingthatthisfatherandmotherhadcasthimoff.