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 to 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 . ' Hans did not wait to be asked twice , and stooped to pick up a bar of gold , but though he put forth all his strength he could not even move it with both hands , still less lift it off the ground . ` Why , you have no more power than a flea , ' laughed the host ; ` you will have to content yourself with feasting your eyes upon them ! '
So he bade Hans follow him through other rooms , till they entered one bigger XXXXX a church , filled , like the rest , with gold and silver .
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