Such a nice fire! Thanks to Stig, who makes sure to keep feeding it whenever it gets low on fuel. Smiles as she says to those gathered round the campfire, 'Methinks most of you have heard about gnomes, ja" Well, I have a story about one that be most interesting. Raise your hand if you wish to hear this tale.' Since almost all of the listeners lift their hands, a nod is given, and she begins. . .
'A certain gnome was once riding to a mine on his pony. In order to take weight off the pony, he slung his bag of tools over his shoulder. On the way he met a clever tinker. "Hey, little fellow," said the tinker, "that sack is heavy enough. Do you want to break your pony's back" Why do you not walk, and leave the pony to carry the sack?" "Fool," said the gnome, "can you not see that I am carrying the sack, and not my pony?"
The tinker saw at once that the gnome was a little short of sense, and decided to play a trick on him. He asked where the gnome lived, and after being told, the tinker made straight for the gnome's cottage. "Lady, your husband sends greetings and a farewell kiss. He has had enough of his ungrateful family, and wishes to see the world a little. So that you many not be lonely, I am to keep hus with you until he returns." The gnome's wife liked the tinker, so she gladly agreed.
The tinker at once began to make himself at home. First of all he had the gnome's family cut down the two linden trees which stood in front of the cottage, saying they cast too much shade. Hardly had they done so, when the gnome returned with naught but dirt from the mine for all his digging. Na the pony recognized his hus, but the gnome shouted at him, "Whoa, where are you going, you oaf" Do you not know where we live" There are two linden trees in front of the gate. This is not our cottage. We must have wandered into another village." And with these words the gnome set off down the road to seek his home.
As he rode, the gnome wondered how it could be that he could not find his hus. When he grew weary of plodding along, he stopped at a wayside tavern. As he sat there, a farmer came running up to him. "Hjelp me, little fellow," he said to the gnome. "My fine mare is lying in her stable, and will not get up." The gnome allowed himself to be persuaded, and he hurried off to look at the mare. He knelt down beside her and whispered, "If you are tired of life, then there are plenty of dogs which will be glad of your meat. But if you want to live, there is grass enough for you to eat." The mare was not sick, but only lazy. As soon as the gnome began to speak of feeding the dogs, she jumped up and began to canter. The farmer's mouth fell open in wonder. "Who are you, that you can cure a horse just by speaking to it?" he asked in astonishment.
Before long the tale of the wise gnome horse-whisperer had spread to the king himself. He invited the sage to his palace. When the gnome arrived, the king happened to be sitting in his sommer-hus. The weather was so hot and close, for a storm was brewing, and the gnome waved away all the mosquitoes as he walked. The king thought the fellow was waving his hands at him, and went out to meet him. At that moment a bolt of lightning flew down and struck the sommer-hus. "So that was why you were waving at me, oh greatest of little sages!" said the king, delighted that his life had been saved. "You shall be richly rewarded for delivering me from death!" Right then and there the king appointed the gnome his chief counsellor.
From that day forward the gnome remained at the kings castle, and ne'er had to dig in the mine again. As for the tinker — he is still waiting for the gnome to return home and see the trick he played.'
'A certain gnome was once riding to a mine on his pony. In order to take weight off the pony, he slung his bag of tools over his shoulder. On the way he met a clever tinker. "Hey, little fellow," said the tinker, "that sack is heavy enough. Do you want to break your pony's back" Why do you not walk, and leave the pony to carry the sack?" "Fool," said the gnome, "can you not see that I am carrying the sack, and not my pony?"
The tinker saw at once that the gnome was a little short of sense, and decided to play a trick on him. He asked where the gnome lived, and after being told, the tinker made straight for the gnome's cottage. "Lady, your husband sends greetings and a farewell kiss. He has had enough of his ungrateful family, and wishes to see the world a little. So that you many not be lonely, I am to keep hus with you until he returns." The gnome's wife liked the tinker, so she gladly agreed.
The tinker at once began to make himself at home. First of all he had the gnome's family cut down the two linden trees which stood in front of the cottage, saying they cast too much shade. Hardly had they done so, when the gnome returned with naught but dirt from the mine for all his digging. Na the pony recognized his hus, but the gnome shouted at him, "Whoa, where are you going, you oaf" Do you not know where we live" There are two linden trees in front of the gate. This is not our cottage. We must have wandered into another village." And with these words the gnome set off down the road to seek his home.
As he rode, the gnome wondered how it could be that he could not find his hus. When he grew weary of plodding along, he stopped at a wayside tavern. As he sat there, a farmer came running up to him. "Hjelp me, little fellow," he said to the gnome. "My fine mare is lying in her stable, and will not get up." The gnome allowed himself to be persuaded, and he hurried off to look at the mare. He knelt down beside her and whispered, "If you are tired of life, then there are plenty of dogs which will be glad of your meat. But if you want to live, there is grass enough for you to eat." The mare was not sick, but only lazy. As soon as the gnome began to speak of feeding the dogs, she jumped up and began to canter. The farmer's mouth fell open in wonder. "Who are you, that you can cure a horse just by speaking to it?" he asked in astonishment.
Before long the tale of the wise gnome horse-whisperer had spread to the king himself. He invited the sage to his palace. When the gnome arrived, the king happened to be sitting in his sommer-hus. The weather was so hot and close, for a storm was brewing, and the gnome waved away all the mosquitoes as he walked. The king thought the fellow was waving his hands at him, and went out to meet him. At that moment a bolt of lightning flew down and struck the sommer-hus. "So that was why you were waving at me, oh greatest of little sages!" said the king, delighted that his life had been saved. "You shall be richly rewarded for delivering me from death!" Right then and there the king appointed the gnome his chief counsellor.
From that day forward the gnome remained at the kings castle, and ne'er had to dig in the mine again. As for the tinker — he is still waiting for the gnome to return home and see the trick he played.'