He had no visitors,
for his grand friends would not take the trouble to walk up so many
stairs to his little attic.
Hungry? Yes, he was hungry too, and as he had no money to buy even a
farthing candle, he had to sit alone in the dark.
One evening he suddenly thought of the witch's tinder-box. Surely in
it there were matches.
The soldier opened it eagerly. Yes, there lay the matches. He seized
one and struck it on the tinder-box.
No sooner had he done this, than the door burst suddenly open, and
there, there, staring at him, stood the dog with eyes as big as
saucers.
"What does my master command?" asked the dog.
"No wonder the old witch wished the tinder-box for her very own,"
thought the soldier. Aloud he said to the dog, "Fetch me some money,"
and the dog instantly vanished to do his master's bidding.
He was back in a moment, and lo! in his mouth was a big bag, full of
pennies.
"Why, this is a magic box," said the soldier. "I have a treasure
indeed." And so he had, for listen! Strike the box once, the dog with
eyes as large as saucers appeared. Strike it twice and the dog with
eyes as big as mill-wheels appeared. Strike it thrice and there
appeared the monster dog with eyes that rolled round and round and
were as large as the Round Tower itself.
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