The Tinderbox

by Paul (9)

One fine day in Autumn, with dew sparkling on the cobwebs in the morning sun, a soldier was drowsily walking back from the war. His clothes were ragged, his military badges were falling off. He had fallen over a few stones, so he had holes in his trousers and his hands were grazed.

While he was admiring the trees he bumped into an old witch. "Oh, I'm sorry, really..." he exclaimed.
"Oh, that's O.K" she said. "You're not in a hurry are you, by any chance?" she asked.
"No, not particularly, why?" he said.
"Well, um, could you climb down inside that tree, and, um, fetch my tinderbox?"
"O.K." said the soldier and started towards the tree.
"No, no" said the witch, " you have to pass three dogs. One has eyes the size of teacups, one has eyes the size of dinner plates and the last has eyes the size of cartwheels," she said.
She was used to people running away here, but the soldier didn't. All he said was "Woh!" so the witch gave him an apron and said, "Just put this in front of them and they won't harm you. Take all the money you want."

So the soldier set off to climb the tree, reminded by the witch, "Don't forget the tinderbox!"
So the witch waited for a while, got about ten berries from a bush, ate one of them and saved the rest for the soldier. It was now getting into the early afternoon.

Eventually the soldier came back, carrying the tinderbox, the apron, with his pockets and everything else he could possibly fill, full of gold. He gave the witch the tinderbox and they walked together into the forest, talking about this and that, discussing things. The soldier introduced the village people to her and she sometimes had dinner with them.

But the day came when the old witch had to leave earth. Everybody gathered around her grave and the soldier put flowers on the soil.