THE DONKEY CABBAGE There was once a young Hunter who went boldly into the forest . He had a merry and light heart , and as he went whistling along there came an ugly old woman , who said to him , ` Good-day , dear hunter ! You are very merry and contented , but I suffer hunger and thirst , so give me a trifle . ' The Hunter was sorry for the poor old woman , and he felt in his pocket and gave her all he could spare . He was going on then , but the old woman stopped him and said , ` Listen , dear hunter , to what I say . Because of your kind heart I will make you a present . Go on your way , and in a short time you will come to a tree on which sit nine birds who have a cloak in their claws and are quarrelling over it . Then take aim with your gun and shoot in the middle of them ; they will let the cloak fall , but one of the birds will be hit and will drop down dead . Take the cloak with you ; it is a wishing-cloak , and when you throw it on your shoulders you have only to wish yourself at a certain place , and in the twinkling of an eye you are there . Take the heart out of the dead bird and swallow it whole , and early every morning when you get up you will find a gold piece under your pillow . ' The Hunter thanked the wise woman , and thought to himself ` These are splendid things she has promised me , if only they come to pass ! ' So he walked on about a hundred yards , and then he heard above him in the branches such a screaming and chirping that he looked up , and there he saw a heap of birds tearing a cloth with their beaks and feet , shrieking , tugging , and fighting , as if each wanted it for himself . ` Well , ' said the Hunter , ` this is wonderful ! It is just as the old woman said ' ; and he took his gun on his shoulder , pulled the trigger , and shot into the midst of them , so that their feathers flew about . Then the flock took flight with much screaming , but one fell dead , and the cloak fluttered down . Then the Hunter did as the old woman had told him : he cut open the bird , found its heart , swallowed it , and took the cloak home with him . The next morning when he awoke he remembered the promise , and wanted to see if it had come true . But when he lifted up his pillow , there sparkled the gold piece , and the next morning he found another , and so on every time he got up . He collected a heap of gold , but at last he thought to himself , ` What good is all my gold to me if I stay at home ? I will travel and look a bit about me in the world . '
XXXXX he took leave of his parents , slung his hunting knapsack and his gun round him , and journeyed into the world .
So along as at for if on that to with