said the old people , who were beginning to be worn out by the long journey . The man held up his foot so that they could see the sole of his shoe ; it was worn as thin as paper , and there was a hole in the middle of it . ` These shoes were quite new when I left Rome , ' he said , ` and look at them now ; that will tell you whether you are far from it or not . ' This discouraged the old people so much that they gave up all thought of finishing the journey , and only wished to get back to Denmark as quickly as they could . What with the winter and bad roads they took longer to return than they had taken to go , but in the end they found themselves in sight of the forest where they had slept before . ` What 's this ? ' said Rasmus . ` Here 's a big house built since we passed this way before . ' ` So it is , ' said Peter ; ` let 's stay all night in it . ' ` No , we ca n't afford that , ' said the old people ; ` it will be too dear for the like of us . ' However , when they saw what was written above the door , they were all well pleased to get a night 's lodging for nothing . They were well received , and had so much attention given to them , that the old people were quite put out by it . After they had got time to rest themselves , the princess 's steward came to hear their story . ` You saw what was written above the door , ' he said to the father . ` Tell me who you are and what your history has been . ' ` Dear me , I have nothing of any importance to tell you , ' said the old man , ` and I am sure we should never have made so bold as to trouble you at all if it had n't been for the youngest of our two sons here . ' ` Never mind that , ' said the steward ; ` you are very welcome if you will only tell me the story of your life . ' ` Well , well , I will , ' said he , ` but there is nothing to tell about it . I and my wife have lived all our days on a moor in North Jutland , until this last year , when she took a fancy to go to Rome . We set out with our two sons but turned back long before we got there , and are now on our way home again .
That 's all my own story , and our two sons have lived XXXXX us all their days , so there is nothing more to be told about them either . '
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