The Tinderbox

The Tinderbox.  Illustration by Margaret Tarrent

Once upon a time, long ago and far away, there was a solider on the way home from the wars.  He was walking alone through a forest when he came across an old woman, a witch if you will, standing by a tree.  She spoke to him and asked for his help- if he would only do her one small favor, he would be greatly rewarded with cash-money.... of course he said yes, for the favor was just to find and return the tinderbox dropped down through the hole in the tree, for she should not be crawling around the inside of trees at her age.

But there was a catch- isn't there always?- for down in the tree live three dogs, and it was by trying to get a look at them that she dropped the box in the first place.  Now, solider, she said- this is what you need to do about the doggies.  Take my apron (it is scented with sausage, and checked all blue and white like a summer sky) and lay it on the floor.  As you come to the dogs, pick them up and set them on the apron.  They will be so happy in their sniffing that they will let you be and you can take what you will from the chests they guard.  Just please, please good sir, remember an old ladies tinderbox.

The solider took the apron and his napsack and crawled into the tree.  Down among the roots, far underground, he saw a light.  This light came from a small dog with eyes as big as teacups, sitting on a finely carved chest.  He remembered to put down the apron, then picked up the dog and set it down where it began sniffing for sausage. The solider opened the chest to find stacks of copper coins, which he added to his napsack.... then he picked up the dog and set him upon the chest again.  

Further along, there was another light and another dog- this one with eyes as big as millstones.  The dog itself was still smallish, and he was able to set it upon the apron, open the chest and fill his napsack with silver coins. The next light- even brighter- led him to the biggest dog with the biggest eyes, eyes like great glowing windmills spinning.  It was a bit of a struggle, but he lifted the dog and set him to upon the apron (for all dogs love sausage, regardless of their size).  Inside this chest was gold- heaps of gold- and the solider filled his napsack full.  He replaced the dog and climbed to the surface, forgetting all about the tinderbox.

When the old lady asked for the box- which was the whole point of him going underground after all- he returned to the roots to find it.  No lights this time, but the box (a rather shabby thing, truthfully) was down among the dirt. He brought it to the surface, and went to look inside of it- but when the old lady protested he promptly cut off her head.  (That can be a problem with soldiers, you know.  They tend to take violence as the first action if they are not honorable- and this fellow? Let's just say there was a reason he was walking home alone in the woods and leave it at that).

This solider walked on to a town, which was a fair good size, and began to live the high life.  He stayed at the best inn, bought new boots and whiskey, ate a full dinner every night and visited the fancy girls.  Money is like water however, once down the drain you can't get it back, and soon he was down to naught but a penny for one last candle.   

What good is a candle without a light for it?  He had none... and then remembered again the tinderbox forgotten in his time of good pleasures.  He opened the tinderbox and struck the flint.  The first dog appeared- and asked for his wish- which of course was money.  The solider soon discovered that if he struck the flint once, the small dog would appear.  Twice brought the second, and three times summoned the largest dog of all- which he didn't do that often because the light from his eyes was quite dazzling in such a small room.  But summon them he did, and they brought him money and delights- anything his heart desired.

Now, amidst all of his pleasures and treasures, there was one thing that he had never laid eyes on- and that was the King's daughter.  Her beauty was such not to be shared with the common folk, and she had thus never left the castle- but rumors, there were rumors.  And suitors from distant lands, all of which were sent back disappointed because they were not suitable in one way or another. But they did stop at the inns and taverns, and tell of a girl that was a true delight to behold.  The solider became curious, then lustful, then obsessed.  He sent the largest dog for the princess.

He kept her all night.  It is best not said what may of happened that night- but remember that this solider is not an honorable man, and his intentions- well, not the best.  The next morning the princess woke in her own bed, telling of strange dreams of dogs and lights and..... other things.  Her mother was alarmed, and called for the King.  That night the Princess retired with a bit of chalk in her pocket, to mark the door of where she was kept.  When the solider had the dog bring her to his chambers, she managed to lay a mark on the door- but the dog saw it and told his master.  Then next day, all of the doors in the city were marked, and the princess was again tired and distraught.

This night her pockets were filled with penny-wafers so she could lay a trail to her captor.  As the large dog carried her, they spilled from her pockets and lay on the ground reflecting the moon.  Unfortunately, penny wafers were the smallest dogs favorites- next to sausage- and he gobbled them all up.

On the final night, they tried another trick- but that also did not work for one reason or another.  But this time, when the dog was carrying the princess home, she scratched her arm on the window casement.  Her blood dripped down unseen, and left a trail back to her tower.  This is the trail that was followed, and led the guards to the room in the inn.

The solider was seized and imprisoned, set to be hanged for his sins.  His money gone, the pleasures vanished, he spent a long cold night in a rough stone room with naught but hay on the floor and dirty water.  When the priest came for his confession in the morning, he wept and repented- and then asked for one final favor.  A small favor, tiny really- nothing to put anyone out of their way.... it's just that the night was so cold and so dark that could he please have a bit of light before the dawn?  See- here is a candle stub left in the crack of the wall, and- look there- over there- on the bench where they piled his clothes, there is his tinderbox.  If you would bring it closer, good father, there would be a final light to warm my soul before eternal damnation.

Sometimes priests are not too bright, believe too easily in redemption, try too hard to be kind.  The priest brought over the box.....and you can probably guess what happened next.

Dogs with big eyes and sharp teeth, greedy soldiers with no honor, beautiful princesses.  Like most of the old tales, this one does not end pleasantly, and there is no happily ever after.  There is a city, long ago and far away, ruled by a man with no honor.  There is a queen locked in a tower who cries every night.  There are three dogs with eyes like stars that watch everything and wait- for sausage.

The End.

This is an old story I just discovered- new to me- and I thought I would retell it.  I stuck to the story as it was written, just put it in my own style- and it grew darker than expected.  When you read it in a children's book of tales the story is the same, but the truth is hidden by what is unsaid, what is implied by the actions- 

something to think about.  I'm going to do something with this story- not sure what as I somehow cannot draw dogs-with-big-eyes for the life of me.  Maybe the telling of it was enough- especially if you think about it, pass it on, because that is what stories are for afterall.