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and got it there, it lies on the shore instead of sand. Can I
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too fetch some of it, said the king, and he was quite eager
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about it. As much as you like, answered he. There is a
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ferryman on the river, let him ferry you over, and you can fill
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your sacks on the other side. The greedy king set out in all
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haste, and when he came to the river he beckoned to the ferryman
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to put him across. The ferryman came and bade him get in,
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and when they got to the other shore he put the oar in his
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hand and sprang over. But from this time forth the king had to
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ferry, as a punishment for his sins. Perhaps he is ferrying
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still. If he is, it is because no one has taken the oar from
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him.
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A certain miller had little by little fallen into poverty, and
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had nothing left but his mill and a large apple-tree behind
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it. Once when he had gone into the forest to fetch wood, an
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old man stepped up to him whom he had never seen before, and
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said, why do you plague yourself with cutting wood, I will
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make you rich, if you will promise me what is standing behind
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your mill. What can that be but my apple-tree, thought the
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miller, and said, yes, and gave a written promise to the
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stranger. He, however, laughed mockingly and said, when three
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years have passed, I will come and carry away what belongs to me,
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and then he went. When the miller got home, his wife came to
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meet him and said, tell me, miller, from whence comes this
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sudden wealth into our house. All at once every box and chest
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was filled, no one brought it in, and I know not how it
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happened. He answered, it comes from a stranger who met me in
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the forest, and promised me great treasure. I' in return,
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have promised him what stands behind the mill - we can very
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well give him the big apple-tree for it. Ah, husband, said the
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terrified wife, that must have been the devil. He did not mean the
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apple-tree, but our daughter, who was standing behind the mill
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sweeping the yard.
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The miller's daughter was a beautiful, pious girl, and lived
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through the three years in the fear of God and without sin. When
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therefore the time was over, and the day came when the evil one
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was to fetch her, she washed herself clean, and made a circle
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round herself with chalk. The devil appeared quite early, but
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he could not come near to her. Angrily, he said to the miller,
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take all water away from her, that she may no longer be able to
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wash herself, for otherwise I have no power over her. The
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miller was afraid, and did so. The next morning the devil came
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again, but she had wept on her hands, and they were quite
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clean. Again he could not get near her, and furiously said to
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the miller, cut her hands off, or else I have no power over
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her. The miller was shocked and answered, how could I cut off my
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own child's hands. Then the evil one threatened him and said,
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if you do not do it you are mine, and I will take you yourself.
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The father became alarmed, and promised to obey him. So he
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went to the girl and said, my child, if I do not cut off both
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your hands, the devil will carry me away, and in my terror
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I have promised to do it. Help me in my need, and forgive me
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the harm I do you. She replied, dear father, do with me what
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you will, I am your child. Thereupon she laid down both her
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hands, and let them be cut off. The devil came for the third
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time, but she had wept so long and so much on the stumps, that
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after all they were quite clean. Then he had to give in, and
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had lost all right over her.
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The miller said to her, I have by means of you received such
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great wealth that I will keep you most handsomely as long as
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you live. But she replied, here I cannot stay, I will go forth,
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compassionate people will give me as much as I require.
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Thereupon she caused her maimed arms to be bound to her back,
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and by sunrise she set out on her way, and walked the whole day
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until night fell. Then she came to a royal garden, and by
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the shimmering of the moon she saw that trees covered with
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beautiful fruits grew in
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it, but she could not enter, for it was surrounded by water.
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And as she had walked the whole day and not eaten one mouthful,
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and hunger tormented her, she thought, ah, if I were but inside,
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that I might eat of the fruit, else must I die of hunger. Then
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she knelt down, called on God the Lord, and prayed. And
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suddenly an angel came towards her, who made a dam in the water,
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so that the moat became dry and she could walk through it. And
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now she went into the garden and the angel went with her. She
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saw a tree covered with beautiful pears, but they were all
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counted. Then she went to them, and to still her hunger, ate
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one with her mouth from the tree, but no more. The gardener
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was watching, but as the angel was standing by, he was afraid
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and thought the maiden was a spirit, and was silent, neither
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did he dare to cry out, or to speak to the spirit. When she had
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eaten the pear, she was satisfied, and went and concealed herself
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among the bushes. The king to whom the garden belonged, came
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down to it next morning, and counted, and saw that one of the
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pears was missing, and asked the gardener what had become of it,
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as it was not lying beneath the tree, but was gone. Then
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answered the gardener, last night, a spirit came in, who had no
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hands, and ate off one of the pears with its mouth. The king
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said, how did the spirit get over the water, and where did it go
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after it had eaten the pear. The gardener answered, someone
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came in a snow-white garment from heaven who made a dam, and
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kept back the water, that the spirit might walk through the moat.
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And as it must have been an angel, I was afraid, and asked
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no questions, and did not cry out. When the spirit had eaten
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the pear, it went back again. The king said, if it be as you
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say, I will watch with you to-night.
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