’Howcanonegettoseeher？’askedtheSoldier。
’Sheisnevertobeseenatall！’theytoldhim；’shelivesinagreatcoppercastle，surroundedbymanywallsandtowers！NooneexcepttheKingmaygoinorout，foritisprophesiedthatshewillmarryacommonsoldier，andtheKingcannotsubmittothat。’
’Ishouldverymuchliketoseeher，’thoughttheSoldier；buthecouldnotgetpermission。
Nowhelivedverygaily，wenttothetheatre，droveintheKing’sgarden，andgavethepooragreatdealofmoney，whichwasveryniceofhim；hehadexperiencedinformertimeshowharditisnottohaveafarthingintheworld。Nowhewasrich，worefineclothes，andmademanyfriends，whoallsaidthathewasanexcellentman，arealnobleman。AndtheSoldierlikedthat。Butashewasalwaysspendingmoney，andnevermadeanymore，atlastthedaycamewhenhehadnothingleftbuttwoshillings，andhehadtoleavethebeautifulroomsinwhichhehadbeenliving，andgointoalittleatticundertheroof，andcleanhisownboots，andmendthemwithadarning-needle。Noneofhisfriendscametovisithimthere，forthereweretoomanystairstoclimb。
Itwasadarkevening，andhecouldnotevenbuyalight。Butallatonceitflashedacrosshimthattherewasalittleendoftinderinthetinder-box，whichhehadtakenfromthehollowtreeintowhichtheWitchhadhelpedhimdown。Hefoundtheboxwiththetinderinit；butjustashewaskindlingalight，andhadstruckasparkoutofthetinder-box，thedoorburstopen，andthedogwitheyesaslargeassaucers，whichhehadseendowninthetree，stoodbeforehimandsaid: