The Little Gray Man

A nun, a farmer, and a blacksmith were once traveling together. One day they got lost in a thick, dark forest and were very happy when they saw a house in the distance. They hoped they could stay there for the night.

When they got close, they saw it was an old, abandoned castle that was almost falling down, but some rooms were still usable. Since they had nowhere to live, they decided to stay in the castle.

They agreed that one of them would always stay home to take care of the house while the other two went out into the world to seek their fortunes.

The nun was the first to stay home. After the farmer and the blacksmith went into the forest, she tidied up the house and prepared all the food for the day. Since her companions didn't come home for lunch, she ate her own share and put the rest in the oven to keep warm. Just as she sat down to sew, the door opened and a little gray man came in. He stood in front of her and said, "Oh, how cold I am!"

The nun felt sorry for him and said, "Sit by the fire and warm yourself."

The little man did as he was told. Soon he said, "Oh, how hungry I am!"

The nun replied, "There's food in the oven. Help yourself."

The little man didn't need to be told twice. He ate up everything very quickly. When the nun saw this, she got angry and scolded the dwarf for leaving nothing for her companions.

The little man got furious. He grabbed the nun, beat her, and threw her against the walls. When he had nearly killed her, he left her lying on the floor and walked out of the house.

In the evening, the farmer and the blacksmith came home. When they asked for dinner and found nothing left, they scolded the nun bitterly and didn't believe what she told them about the little gray man.

The next day, the farmer asked to stay home. He promised that if he stayed, no one would go to bed hungry. So the other two went into the forest. The farmer prepared the food, ate his own share, and put the rest in the oven. Just as he finished cleaning, the door opened and the little gray man walked in. This time he had two heads. He shivered and said, "Oh, how cold I am!"

The farmer was very scared. He asked the dwarf to come near the fire and warm himself.

Soon the dwarf looked around greedily and said, "Oh, how hungry I am!"

"There's food in the oven, so you can eat," replied the farmer.

Then the little man ate with both his heads and soon finished everything. When the farmer scolded him, he treated the farmer just like he had treated the nun and left him more dead than alive.

When the blacksmith came home with the nun in the evening and found no supper, he got angry and swore that he would stay home the next day. No one would go to bed hungry.

When dawn came, the farmer and the nun went into the forest, and the blacksmith prepared all the food. Again the gray dwarf entered the house without knocking, but this time he had three heads. When he complained of cold, the blacksmith told him to sit by the fire. When he said he was hungry, the blacksmith put some food on a plate and gave it to him. The dwarf quickly ate what was given and then, looking around with his six eyes, demanded more. When the blacksmith refused, the dwarf flew into a terrible rage and tried to attack the blacksmith.

But the blacksmith was ready for him. He grabbed a huge hammer and struck off two of the dwarf's heads. The little man yelled with pain and rage and quickly fled from the house. The blacksmith ran after him for a long way. Finally they came to an iron door.

The little creature vanished through it, and the door shut behind him. The blacksmith had to give up and go home. He found that the nun and the farmer had already returned. They were very happy when he placed food before them and showed them the two heads he had cut off with his hammer.

The three friends decided to free themselves from the gray dwarf's power. The very next day they set out to find him.

They walked a long way and searched for many hours before they found the iron door where the dwarf had disappeared. When they finally forced the lock open, they entered a large hall. There sat a young, lovely girl working at a table.

When she saw the nun, the blacksmith, and the farmer, she fell at their feet and thanked them with tears in her eyes for setting her free. She told them she was a king's daughter who had been locked in the castle by a mighty magician.

The day before, around noon, she had suddenly felt the magic power over her disappear. She had been waiting eagerly for her rescuers ever since. She said there was another princess shut up in the castle who had also fallen under the magician's spell.

They walked through many halls and rooms until they found the second princess. She was just as grateful and thanked them warmly.

Then the princesses told their rescuers that a great treasure lay hidden in the cellars of the castle, but it was guarded by a fierce, terrible dog.

Not afraid, they all went downstairs at once and found the fierce animal guarding the treasure just as the princesses had said. One blow from the blacksmith's hammer killed the monster. They found themselves in a vaulted chamber full of gold, silver, and precious stones.

Beside the treasure stood a young, handsome man. He came forward and thanked the nun, the blacksmith, and the farmer for freeing him from the magic spell. He told them he was a king's son who had been sent to this castle by a wicked magician and had been turned into the three-headed dwarf.

When he lost two of his heads, the magic power over the two princesses was broken. When the blacksmith killed the horrible dog, he too was set free.

To show his gratitude, he asked the three friends to divide the treasure among themselves. They did, but there was so much treasure that it took a very long time.

The princesses were so grateful that one married the blacksmith and the other married the farmer.

Then the prince claimed the nun as his bride, and they all lived happily together until they died.