Then they told their father all that they had suffered , and he was so angry with their step-mother that he drove her out of the house , and never let her return ; but he and the children lived happily together ; and he took care of them himself , and never let a stranger come near them . THE HAZEL-NUT CHILD -LRB- 29 -RRB- -LRB- 29 -RRB- From the Bukowniaer . Van Wliolocki . There was once upon a time a couple who had no children , and they prayed Heaven every day to send them a child , though it were no bigger than a hazel-nut . At last Heaven heard their prayer and sent them a child exactly the size of a hazel-nut , and it never grew an inch . The parents were very devoted to the little creature , and nursed and tended it carefully . Their tiny son too was as clever as he could be , and so sharp and sensible that all the neighbours marvelled over the wise things he said and did . When the Hazel-nut child was fifteen years old , and was sitting one day in an egg-shell on the table beside his mother , she turned to him and said , ` You are now fifteen years old , and nothing can be done with you . What do you intend to be ? ' ' A messenger , ' answered the Hazel-nut child . Then his mother burst out laughing and said , ` What an idea ! You a messenger ! Why , your little feet would take an hour to go the distance an ordinary person could do in a minute ! ' But the Hazel-nut child replied , ` Nevertheless I mean to be a messenger ! Just send me a message and you 'll see that I shall be back in next to no time . ' So his mother said , ` Very well , go to your aunt in the neighbouring village , and fetch me a comb . ' The Hazel-nut child jumped quickly out of the egg-shell and ran out into the street . Here he found a man on horseback who was just setting out for the neighbouring village . He crept up the horse 's leg , sat down under the saddle , and then began to pinch the horse and to prick it with a pin . The horse plunged and reared and then set off at a hard gallop , which it continued in spite of its rider 's efforts to stop it .
When they reached the village , the Hazel-nut child left off pricking the horse , and the poor tired creature pursued its way XXXXX a snail 's pace .
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