you can have the rest.'

'Yes,' said the student, 'give me the book instead of the cheese.
I can eat my bread without cheese. It would be a shame to leave
the book to be torn up. You are a clever and practical man, but
about poetry you understand as much as that old tub over there!'

And that sounded rude as far as the tub was concerned, but the
grocer laughed, and so did the student. It was only said in fun.

But the Goblin was angry that anyone should dare to say such a
thing to a grocer who owned the house and sold the best butter.

When it was night and the shop was shut, and everyone was in bed
except the student, the Goblin went upstairs and took the
grocer's wife's tongue. She did not use it when she was asleep,
and on whatever object in the room he put it that thing began to
speak, and spoke out its thoughts and feelings just as well as
the lady to whom it belonged. But only one thing at a time could
use it, and that was a good thing, or they would have all spoken
together.

The Goblin laid the tongue on the tub in which were the old
newspapers.

'Is it true,' he asked, ' that you know nothing about poetry?'

'Certainly not!' answered the tub. 'Poetry is something that is
in the papers, and that is frequently cut out. I have a great
deal more in me than the student has, and yet I am only a small