“Pray, sir,” said Gluck, rather hesitatingly, “were you my mug!”

On which the little man turned sharp round, walked straight up to Gluck, and drew himself up to his full height.  “I,” said the little man, “am the King of the Golden River.”  Whereupon he turned about again, and took two more turns, some six feet long, in order to allow time for the consternation which this announcement produced in his auditor to evaporate.  After which he again walked up to Gluck and stood still, as if expecting some comment on his communication.

Gluck determined to say something, at all events.  “I hope your majesty is very well,” said Gluck.

“Listen!” said the little man, deigning no reply to this polite inquiry.  “I am the King of what you mortals call the Golden River.  The shape you saw me in was owing to the malice of a stronger king, from whose enchantments you have this instant freed me.  What I have seen of you, and your conduct to your wicked brothers, renders me willing to serve you; therefore attend to what I tell you.  Whoever shall climb to the top of that mountain from which you see the Golden River issue, and shall cast into the stream at its source three drops of holy water, for him, and for him only, the river shall turn to gold.  But no one failing in his first can succeed in a second attempt; and if any one shall cast unholy water into the river, it will overwhelm him, and he will become a black stone.”  So saying, the King of the Golden River turned away, and deliberately walked into the center of the hottest flame of the furnace.  His figure became red, red, white, transparent, dazzling—­a blaze of intense light—­rose, trembled, and disappeared.  The King of the Golden River had evaporated.

“Oh!” cried poor Gluck, running to look up the chimney after him; “oh dear, dear, dear me!  My mug! my mug! my mug!”

III

The King of the Golden River had hardly made his extraordinary exit before Hans and Schwartz came roaring into the house, very savagely drunk.  The discovery of the total loss of their last piece of plate had the effect of sobering them just enough to enable them to stand over Gluck, beating him very steadily for a quarter of an hour; at the expiration of which period they dropped into a couple of chairs, and requested to know what he had got to say for himself.  Gluck told them his story, of which of course they did not believe a word.  They beat him again, till their arms were tired, and staggered to bed.  In the morning, however, the steadiness with which he adhered to his story obtained him some degree of credence; the immediate consequence of which was, that the two brothers, after wrangling a long time on the knotty question which of them should try his fortune first, drew their swords, and began fighting.  The noise of the fray alarmed the neighbors, who, finding they could not pacify the combatants, sent for the constable.