Once there was a young soldier who, returning from the wars with little more than the clothes upon his back, met an old witch beside the road. She bade him climb into a hollow tree, where three dreadful dogs kept watch over chests of copper, silver, and gold. With the aid of the witch’s magic apron he passed them safely, filled his pockets with treasure, and recovered for her an ancient tinderbox. Yet when she would not tell him why she desired it, he slew her and kept the strange thing for himself.

Soon the soldier discovered its secret. If he struck the tinderbox once, twice, or thrice, one of the three monstrous dogs appeared before him, ready to obey his command. Thus he lived richly and without fear.

In that kingdom dwelt a beautiful princess, whom her royal parents kept shut away because it had been foretold that she should one day marry a common soldier. Wishing to behold her, the young man commanded one of the dogs to carry her secretly to his chamber as she slept. In time the mystery was discovered, and the soldier was seized and condemned to die.

Upon the scaffold he begged one final favour: to strike his tinderbox. At once the three terrible dogs sprang forth, scattering judges, councillors, king and queen alike. The people, astonished and afraid, acclaimed the soldier as their ruler.

And so the prophecy was fulfilled. He married the princess, became king, and the wondrous dogs sat proudly at the wedding feast, their enormous eyes shining brighter than all the candles in the hall.