(1853)
There was once a regular student, who lived in a garret, and had no
possessions. And there was also a regular huckster, to whom the house
belonged, and who occupied the ground floor. A goblin lived with the
huckster, because at Christmas he always had a large dish full of jam, with a
great piece of butter in the middle. The huckster could afford this; and
therefore the goblin remained with the huckster, which was very cunning of
him.
One evening the student came into the shop through the back door to buy
candles and cheese for himself, he had no one to send, and therefore he
came himself; he obtained what he wished, and then the huckster and his
wife nodded good evening to him, and she was a woman who could do
more than merely nod, for she had usually plenty to say for herself. The
student nodded in return as he turned to leave, then suddenly stopped, and
began reading the piece of paper in which the cheese was wrapped. It was a
leaf torn out of an old book, a book that ought not to have been torn up, for
it was full of poetry.
“Yonder lies some more of the same sort,” said the huckster: “I gave an
old woman a few coffee berries for it; you shall have the rest for sixpence,
if you will.”
“Indeed I will,” said the student; “give me the book instead of the cheese;
I can eat my bread and butter without cheese. It would be a sin to tear up a
book like this. You are a clever man; and a practical man; but you
understand no more about poetry than that cask yonder.”
This was a very rude speech, especially against the cask; but the huckster
and the student both laughed, for it was only said in fun. But the goblin felt
very angry that any man should venture to say such things to a huckster
who was a householder and sold the best butter. As soon as it was night, and
