But the greedy youth replied: "If I were to give you cake and wine, I
should not have enough left for myself; so be off with you, and leave
me in peace."
Then he pushed the little man rudely on one side and went his way. He
soon came to a likely-looking tree, and began to hew it down, but he
made a false stroke, and instead of striking the tree he buried his
axe in his own arm, and was obliged to hurry home as fast as he could
to have the wound dressed.
And this was what came of offending the little gray man!
The following day the second son set out to the wood, and his mother
treated him just as she had done her eldest son--gave him a slice of
cake and a flask of wine, in case he should feel hungry. The little
gray man met him at the entrance to the wood, and begged for a share
of his food, but the young man answered:
"The more I give to you, the less I have for myself. Be off with you."
Then he left the little gray man standing in the road, and went on his
way. But it was not long before he, too, was punished; for the first
stroke he aimed at a tree glanced aside and wounded his leg, so that
he was obliged to be carried home.
Then said the Simpleton: "Father, let me go to the wood for once.
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