"Mercy, what's that!" said Gluck, looking all about. But nobody was there.
Suddenly the sharp little voice came again.
"Pour me out," it said, "I am too hot!"
It seemed to come right from the oven, and as Gluck stood, staring in
fright, it came again, "Pour me out; I'm too hot!"
Gluck was very much frightened, but he went and looked in the melting pot.
When he touched it, the little voice said, "Pour me out, I say!" And Gluck
took the handle and began to pour the gold out.
First came out a tiny pair of yellow legs; then a pair of yellow
coat-tails; then a strange little yellow body, and, last, a wee yellow
face, with long curls of gold hair. And the whole put itself together as
it fell, and stood up on the floor,--the strangest little yellow dwarf,
about a foot high!
"Dear, me!" said Gluck.
But the little yellow man said, "Gluck, do you know who I am? I am the
King of the Golden River."
Gluck did not know what to say, so he said nothing; and, indeed, the
little man gave him no chance. He said, "Gluck, I have been watching you,
and what I have seen of you, I like. Listen, and I will tell you something
for your good. Whoever shall climb to the top of the mountain from which
the Golden River falls, and shall cast into its waters three drops of holy
water, for him and him only shall its waters turn to gold.
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