The Flint

　　A soldier was walking down a country road. He was coming back from a battle. He was wearing a knapsack on his back and a big sword on his waist. When he was walking down the road so tired， he found a witch. The witch was sitting right next to a big tree. The witch started to talk as soon as she saw the soldier. “Hey， soldier！ Can you do me a favor？ If you can， I will make you have a lot of money.” “Are you serious？”

　　“Look at this tree. The inside of this tree is empty.” The witch pointed at a thick and old tree. “Get into that hole. I will tie your waist up with a rope. There are three rooms if you go down， and each room has a dog. The dogs will be quiet as soon as they see this apron. A box in the first room is full of bronze coins. In the second room， a box is full of silver coins， and a box in the third room is full of gold coins. Take as much as you want”.

　　“Then， what do you want me to do？” The soldier doubted her and asked. “Bring me a flint in a small box.” “Why do you need such a small and unimportant flint？” “It is the flint from my grandmother， so I want to get it.”

　　The soldier tied a rope to his waist and put the apron on his knapsack. Then， he entered the tree hole and went down. Soon， he found a wide place with lights everywhere. The soldier came into the first room carefully. A black dog was sitting on a big box. It was rolling its eyes as big as oranges. “Good dog， sit on this apron.” The soldier held the dog and put it on the apron. The black dog became very nice as the witch said. He put the coins in the box into his knapsack.

　　The soldier went to the next room carefully. There was a white dog that was bigger than the black one， and it was sitting down on a big box. It was rolling its eyes that were bigger than apples. The soldier made the white dog sit on the apron and opened up the box. Lots of glittering silver coins were in the box. He took out the bronze coins from his knapsack and filled it with silver coins.

　　In the third room， a big yellow dog was sitting on a box. It was rolling its eyes which were as big as watermelons. The soldier held the dog and put it on the apron. The box was full of dazzlingly shining gold coins and gold nuggets. The soldier took the silver coins out from his knapsack and filled his knapsack， hat and all his pockets with the gold coins and nuggets.

　　The soldier put the tinder-box in his knapsack， came out of the room and pulled on the rope which was on his waist. The witch pulled the rope. The soldier stood by the witch under the tree. “Now， give me the flint.” The witch asked the soldier， but he pretended as if he did not have her tinder-box. “I searched everywhere， but your grandmother‘s tinder box was not there.” “What？ You are a liar！ There must be a box inside of this tree.” The witch was very angry and furious.

　　“Then， go and get the flint box by yourself.” The soldier answered with a frightening voice. The witch ran away， because she was so scared by his sword on his waist.

　　The soldier went to a big town and lived proudly like a rich man. He became poor again because he spent all his money on an expensive house， great clothes， delicious food， and for making friends and enjoying his new life. Because he had no money， he was driven out from the nice house and moved to an attic under the roof of a house. He couldn’t even afford to buy a match at night. Suddenly， the flint came up in his mind. He tried to make sparks with the flint.

　　“How can I help you， sir？” In this instance， the black dog came up. “Oh， yes. I need some money.” The black dog disappeared and showed up again in a short time. The black dog held and carried a bag full of money. The soldier realized that if he hit the flint once， the black dog show up. Twice for the white dog， three times for the yellow dog. And they did whatever he wanted and asked for.

　　The soldier became rich again， and his friends soon came and visited him . One day his friends talked about a princess. “I heard that they want to move the princess to a tall tower.” “What for？” “A fairy told them that she would be in love with a poor soldier. That would never happen.” “No one can see the princess except the king， the queen and the princess‘ maid.” The soldier listened to the story with deep interest. He wanted to meet the beautiful princess desperately even if it was just once.

　　After his friends all went back， he hit the flint twice. Then， the white dog showed up. “White dog， let me see the princess.” Right after he said that the white dog brought the beautiful sleeping princess. He fell in love with her at first sight. He couldn’t stand the days he did not meet her. He ordered the black， white and yellow dogs to bring the princess to him every night by turns.

　　The king and the queen became aware of this fact that the princess disappeared every night. “What a shame！ The princess is bewitched by something and goes out the castle every night.” The queen said to the king with an anxious look. “Catch the man who bewitches the princess every night right away.” The king gave the order with angry voice.

　　That night， the queen tied a small cloth pouch filled with wheat grains secretly on the princess‘ ankle. There was a small hole in the pouch so that the little grains came out as the princess moved. At last， the soldier was caught and taken to the palace of the king and the queen by the King’s army.

　　The soldier begged them for forgiveness and said， “I want to marry the princess.” “What？ How dare you say that you want to marry our daughter？ Put him in jail quickly！” The soldier took the flint out of his pocket and hit it once， twice and three times. The black， white and yellow dogs showed up and drove the army away from the soldier. All of them were so scared and were busy running away .

　　“Wow， I have never seen those dogs before. Look at those eyes. They are like flames.” “They must be God‘s messengers！” After seeing the soldier， everyone said， “A new king came here！”

　　The princess approached the soldier instantly. The dogs with big eyes were guarding the couple. “A new king is here！ A new king came here！” People were happy looking at the soldier and the princess. In the end， the soldier became a king， and the princess became a queen.

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