The stranger talked for a little to the other men in a language Hans did not understand , and after listening for a short time he once more fell asleep . When he awoke , neither wood nor fire was to be seen , and he did not know where he was . He rubbed his eyes , and began to recall the events of the night , thinking he must have been dreaming ; but for all that , he could not make out how he came to be in this place . Suddenly a loud noise struck on his ear , and he felt the earth tremble beneath his feet . Hans listened for a moment , then resolved to go towards the place where the sound came from , hoping he might come across some human being . He found himself at length at the mouth of a rocky cave in which a fire seemed burning . He entered , and saw a huge forge , and a crowd of men in front of it , blowing bellows and wielding hammers , and to each anvil were seven men , and a set of more comical smiths could not be found if you searched all the world through ! Their heads were bigger than their little bodies , and their hammers twice the size of themselves , but the strongest men on earth could not have handled their iron clubs more stoutly or given lustier blows . The little blacksmiths were clad in leather aprons , which covered them from their necks to their feet in front , and left their backs naked . On a high stool against the wall sat the man with the pinewood staff , watching sharply the way the little fellows did their work , and near him stood a large can , from which every now and then the workers would come and take a drink . The master no longer wore the white garments of the day before , but a black jerkin , held in its place by a leathern girdle with huge clasps . From time to time he would give his workmen a sign with his staff , for it was useless to speak amid such a noise . If any of them had noticed that there was a stranger present they took no heed of him , but went on with what they were doing . After some hours ' hard labour came the time for rest , and they all flung their hammers to the ground and trooped out of the cave . Then the master got down from his seat and said to Hans : ' I saw you come in , but the work was pressing , and I could not stop to speak to you . To-day you must be my guest , and I will show you something of the way in which I live . Wait here for a moment , while I lay aside these dirty clothes . ' With these words he unlocked a door in the cave , and bade Hans pass in before him . Oh , what riches and treasures met Hans ' astonished eyes ! Gold and silver bars lay piled on the floor , and glittered so that you could not look at them !
Hans thought he would count them for fun , and had already reached the five hundred and seventieth when his host returned and cried , laughing : ` Do not try XXXXX count them , it would take too long ; choose some of the bars from the heap , as I should like to make you a present of them . '
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