pretty little purse; but could it do this and that as he had said?

Jacob would show him that; so he began taking pennies and pennies out of
it, until he had filled all the pots and pans in the house with them.
And now might he marry Gretchen?

Yes; that he might! So said the Herr Mayor; for who would not like to
have a lad for a son-in-law who always had two pennies more in his purse
than he could spend.

So Jacob married his Gretchen, and, between his plough and his purse, he
was busy enough, I can tell you.

So the days went on and on and on until the ten years had gone by and
the time had come for the red one to fetch Jacob away with him. As for
Jacob, he was in a sorry state of dumps, as you may well believe.

At last Gretchen spoke to him. "See, Jacob," said she, "what makes you
so down in the mouth?"

"Oh! nothing at all," said Jacob.

But this did not satisfy Gretchen, for she could see that there was more
to be told than Jacob had spoken. So she teased and teased, until at
last Jacob told her all, and that the red one was to come the next day
and take him off as his servant, unless he could ask him a question
which he could not answer.

"Prut!" said Gretchen, "and is that all? Then there is no stuffing to
that sausage, for I can help you out of your trouble easily enough."