“I wish I had that dog as a companion in this wood.  Then there would be no danger.”

The old man knew what he thought, and said—­

“I have come to ask you to let me give you my dog for one of your hogs.”

The boy did not hesitate long, but agreed to the bargain.  He got the big dog, and the man took the hog in exchange.  As he went, the old man said—­

“I think you will be satisfied with your bargain.  The dog is not like other dogs.  He is called Tear, and if you tell him to tear, tear he will in pieces whatever it be, even the fiercest mountain giant.”

Then he departed, and the boy was glad at heart, thinking he had made a good bargain, though he well knew his old mother would not be much pleased at it.

Towards evening he went home, and his mother was not a bit less angry than she had been on the previous day.  She dared not beat her son, however, for his big dogs made her afraid.  It usually happens that when women have scolded enough they at last give in.  So it was now.  The boy and his mother became friends once more; but the old woman thought she had sustained such a loss as could never again be made good.

The boy went to the forest again with the hog and the two dogs.  He was very happy, and, sitting down on the trunk of a tree he played, as usual, on his pipe; and the dogs danced in such fine fashion that it was a treat to look at them.  While the boy thus sat amusing himself, the old man with the gray beard again appeared out of the forest.  He had with him a third dog as large as either of the others.  When the boy saw it, he said to himself—­

“I wish I had that dog as a companion in this wood.  Then there would be no danger.”

The old man said—­

“I came because I wished you to see my dog, for I well know you would like to have him.”

The lad was ready enough, and the bargain was made.  So he got the big dog, giving his last hog for it.  The old man then departed, saying—­

“I think you will be satisfied with your bargain.  The dog is not like other dogs.  He is called Quick-ear, and so quick does he hear, that he knows all that takes place, be it ever so many miles away.  Why, he hears even the trees and the grass growing in the fields!”

Then the old man went off, and the lad felt very happy, for he thought he had nothing now to be afraid of.

As evening came on the boy went home, and his mother was sorely grieved when she found her son had parted with her all; but he told her to bid farewell to sorrow, saying that he would see she had no loss.  The lad spoke so well that the old woman was quite pleased.  At daybreak the lad went out a-hunting with his two dogs, and in the evening he came back with as much game as he could carry.  He hunted till his mother’s larder was well stocked, then he bade her farewell, telling her he was going to travel to see what fortune had in store for him, and called his dogs to him.