then the grocer was first with him . But in the middle of the night the Goblin awoke , hearing a great noise and knocking against the shutters -- people hammering from outside . The watchman was blowing his horn : a great fire had broken out ; the whole town was in flames . Was it in the house ? or was it at a neighbour 's ? Where was it ? The alarm increased . The grocer 's wife was so terrified that she took her gold earrings out of her ears and put them in her pocket in order to save something . The grocer seized his account books . and the maid her black silk dress . Everyone wanted to save his most valuable possession ; so did the Goblin , and in a few leaps he was up the stairs and in the student 's room . He was standing quietly by the open window looking at the fire that was burning in the neighbour 's house just opposite . The Goblin seized the book lying on the table , put it in his red cap , and clasped it with both hands . The best treasure in the house was saved , and he climbed out on to the roof with it -- on to the chimney . There he sat , lighted up by the flames from the burning house opposite , both hands holding tightly on his red cap , in which lay the treasure ; and now he knew what his heart really valued most -- to whom he really belonged . But when the fire was put out , and the Goblin thought it over -- then -- ' I will divide myself between the two , ' he said . ' I can not quite give up the grocer , because of the jam ! ' And it is just the same with us . We also can not quite give up the grocer -- because of the jam . The House in the Wood From the German of Grimm .
A poor woodcutter lived with his wife and three daughters in a little hut on the borders XXXXX a great forest .
From against at by in of on that to up