The boys did as they were told, laughing hard
all the time. Whenever they pulled down the pigtail,
there was a sharp CRACK, and a broken nut
sprang out of the Nutcracker's mouth.

Soon all the hazelnuts were opened, and the
little man grumbled again:--

``Hight! hight! Bite! bite!
Your nuts are cracked, and now my pay
I'll take and then I'll go away.''


Now one of the boys wished to give the little
man his promised reward, but the other, who was
a bad boy, stopped him, saying:--

``Why do you give that old fellow our nuts?
There are only enough for us. As for you,
Nutcracker, go away from here and find some for
yourself.''

Then the little man grew angry, and he
grumbled horribly:--

``If you do not pay my fee,
Why, then, you've told a lie to me!
I am hungry, you're well fed,