The Golden Key

by The Brothers Grimm

　　

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In the winter time, when deep snow lay on the ground, a poor boy wasforced to go out on a sledge to fetch wood. When he had gathered ittogether, and packed it, he wished, as he was so frozen with cold, notto go home at once, but to light a fire and warm himself a little. So hescraped away the snow, and as he was thus clearing the ground, he founda tiny, gold key. Hereupon he thought that where the key was, the lockmust be also, and dug in the ground and found an iron chest. "If thekey does but fit it!" thought he; "no doubt there are precious thingsin that little box." He searched, but no keyhole was there. At last hediscovered one, but so small that it was hardly visible. He tried it,and the key fitted it exactly. Then he turned it once round, and now wemust wait until he has quite unlocked it and opened the lid, and thenwe shall learn what wonderful things were lying in that box.

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