MemGPT/example_short_stories · Datasets at Hugging Face

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fountain which once flowed with wine has become dry, and no
longer gives even water, why a tree which once bore golden apples
does not even put forth leaves, and why a ferryman must always be
going backwards and forwards, and is never set free.
Those are difficult questions, answered she, but just be silent
and quiet and pay attention to what the devil says when I pull out
the three golden hairs.

As the evening came on, the devil returned home. No sooner had he
entered than he noticed that the air was not pure. I smell man's
flesh, said he, all is not right here. Then he pried into
every corner, and searched, but could not find anything. His
grandmother scolded him. It has just been swept, said she, and
everything put in order, and now you are upsetting it again, you
have always got man's flesh in your nose. Sit down and eat your
supper.

When he had eaten and drunk he was tired, and laid his head in
his grandmother's lap, and told her she should louse him a little.
It was not long before he was fast asleep, snoring and breathing
heavily. Then the old woman took hold of a golden hair, pulled
it out, and laid it down beside her. Oh, cried the devil,
what are you doing. I have had a bad dream, answered the
grandmother, so I seized hold of your hair. What did you dream
then, said the devil. I dreamt that a fountain in a market-place
from which wine once flowed was dried up, and not even water
would flow out of it - what is the cause of it. Oh, ho, if they
did but know it, answered the devil, there is a toad sitting
under a stone in the well - if they killed it, the wine would flow
again.

The grandmother loused him again until he went to sleep and
snored so that the windows shook. Then she pulled the second hair
out. Ha, what are you doing, cried the devil angrily. Do not
take it ill, said she, I did it in a dream. What have you dreamt
this time, asked he. I dreamt that in a certain kingdom there
stood an apple-tree which had once borne golden apples, but now
would not even bear leaves. What, think you, was the reason.
Oh, if they did but know, answered the devil. A mouse is
gnawing at the root - if they killed it they would have golden
apples again, but if it gnaws much longer the tree will wither
altogether. But I have had enough of your dreams, if you disturb
me in my sleep again you will get a box on the ear.

The grandmother spoke gently to him and picked his lice once
more until he fell asleep and snored. Then she took hold of the
third golden hair and pulled it out. The devil jumped up,
roared out, and would have treated her ill if she had not
quieted him again and said, who can help bad dreams. What
was the dream, then, asked he, and was quite curious. I dreamt
of a ferryman who complained that he must always ferry from
one side to the other, and was never released. What is the
cause of it. Ah, the fool, answered the devil, when anyone
comes and wants to go across he must put the oar in his hand,
and the other man will have
to ferry and he will be free. As the grandmother had plucked
out the three golden hairs, and the three questions were
answered, she let the old devil alone, and he slept until
daybreak.

When the devil had gone out again the old woman took the ant
out of the folds of her dress, and gave the child of good
fortune his human shape again. There are the three golden
hairs for you, said she. What the devil said to your three
questions, I suppose you heard. Yes, answered he, I heard, and
will take care to remember. You have what you want, said she,
and now you can go your way. He thanked the old woman for
helping him in his need, and left hell well content that
everything had turned out so fortunately.

When he came to the ferryman he was expected to give the
promised answer. Ferry me across first, said the child of good
fortune, and then I will tell you how you can be set free, and
when he reached the opposite shore he gave him the devil's advice.
Next time anyone comes, who wants to be ferried over, just put the
oar in his hand.

He went on and came to the town wherein stood the unfruitful
tree, and there too the watchman wanted an answer. So he
told him what he had heard from the devil. Kill the mouse
which is gnawing at its root, and it will again bear golden
apples. Then the watchman thanked him, and gave him as a reward
two asses laden with gold, which followed him.

Finally, he came to the town whose well was dry. He told the
watchman what the devil had said, a toad is in the well beneath
a stone, you must find it and kill it, and the well will again
give wine in plenty. The watchman thanked him, and also
gave him two asses laden with gold.

At last the child of good fortune got home to his wife, who
was heartily glad to see him again, and to hear how well he had
prospered in everything. To the king he took what he had asked
for, the devil's three golden hairs, and when the king saw the
four asses laden with gold he was quite content, and said, now
all the conditions are fulfilled, and you can keep my daughter.

But tell
me, dear son-in-law, where did all that gold come from - this
is tremendous wealth. I was rowed across a river, answered he,

fountain which once flowed with wine has become dry, and no

longer gives even water, why a tree which once bore golden apples

does not even put forth leaves, and why a ferryman must always be

going backwards and forwards, and is never set free.

Those are difficult questions, answered she, but just be silent

and quiet and pay attention to what the devil says when I pull out

the three golden hairs.

As the evening came on, the devil returned home. No sooner had he

entered than he noticed that the air was not pure. I smell man's

flesh, said he, all is not right here. Then he pried into

every corner, and searched, but could not find anything. His

grandmother scolded him. It has just been swept, said she, and

everything put in order, and now you are upsetting it again, you

have always got man's flesh in your nose. Sit down and eat your

supper.

When he had eaten and drunk he was tired, and laid his head in

his grandmother's lap, and told her she should louse him a little.

It was not long before he was fast asleep, snoring and breathing

heavily. Then the old woman took hold of a golden hair, pulled

it out, and laid it down beside her. Oh, cried the devil,

what are you doing. I have had a bad dream, answered the

grandmother, so I seized hold of your hair. What did you dream

then, said the devil. I dreamt that a fountain in a market-place

from which wine once flowed was dried up, and not even water

would flow out of it - what is the cause of it. Oh, ho, if they

did but know it, answered the devil, there is a toad sitting

under a stone in the well - if they killed it, the wine would flow

again.

The grandmother loused him again until he went to sleep and

snored so that the windows shook. Then she pulled the second hair

out. Ha, what are you doing, cried the devil angrily. Do not

take it ill, said she, I did it in a dream. What have you dreamt

this time, asked he. I dreamt that in a certain kingdom there

stood an apple-tree which had once borne golden apples, but now

would not even bear leaves. What, think you, was the reason.

Oh, if they did but know, answered the devil. A mouse is

gnawing at the root - if they killed it they would have golden

apples again, but if it gnaws much longer the tree will wither

altogether. But I have had enough of your dreams, if you disturb

me in my sleep again you will get a box on the ear.

The grandmother spoke gently to him and picked his lice once

more until he fell asleep and snored. Then she took hold of the

third golden hair and pulled it out. The devil jumped up,

roared out, and would have treated her ill if she had not

quieted him again and said, who can help bad dreams. What

was the dream, then, asked he, and was quite curious. I dreamt

of a ferryman who complained that he must always ferry from

one side to the other, and was never released. What is the

cause of it. Ah, the fool, answered the devil, when anyone

comes and wants to go across he must put the oar in his hand,

and the other man will have

to ferry and he will be free. As the grandmother had plucked

out the three golden hairs, and the three questions were

answered, she let the old devil alone, and he slept until

daybreak.

When the devil had gone out again the old woman took the ant

out of the folds of her dress, and gave the child of good

fortune his human shape again. There are the three golden

hairs for you, said she. What the devil said to your three

questions, I suppose you heard. Yes, answered he, I heard, and

will take care to remember. You have what you want, said she,

and now you can go your way. He thanked the old woman for

helping him in his need, and left hell well content that

everything had turned out so fortunately.

When he came to the ferryman he was expected to give the

promised answer. Ferry me across first, said the child of good

fortune, and then I will tell you how you can be set free, and

when he reached the opposite shore he gave him the devil's advice.

Next time anyone comes, who wants to be ferried over, just put the

oar in his hand.

He went on and came to the town wherein stood the unfruitful

tree, and there too the watchman wanted an answer. So he

told him what he had heard from the devil. Kill the mouse

which is gnawing at its root, and it will again bear golden

apples. Then the watchman thanked him, and gave him as a reward

two asses laden with gold, which followed him.

Finally, he came to the town whose well was dry. He told the

watchman what the devil had said, a toad is in the well beneath

a stone, you must find it and kill it, and the well will again

give wine in plenty. The watchman thanked him, and also

gave him two asses laden with gold.

At last the child of good fortune got home to his wife, who

was heartily glad to see him again, and to hear how well he had

prospered in everything. To the king he took what he had asked

for, the devil's three golden hairs, and when the king saw the

four asses laden with gold he was quite content, and said, now

all the conditions are fulfilled, and you can keep my daughter.

But tell

me, dear son-in-law, where did all that gold come from - this

is tremendous wealth. I was rowed across a river, answered he,