Grimms' Fairy Tales

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nothing was left to him but one small plot of land; and there he often
went in an evening to take his walk, and ease his mind of a little of
his trouble.

One day, as he was roaming along in a brown study, thinking with no
great comfort on what he had been and what he now was, and was like
to be, all on a sudden there stood before him a little, rough-looking,
black dwarf. 'Prithee, friend, why so sorrowful?' said he to the
merchant; 'what is it you take so deeply to heart?' 'If you would do me
any good I would willingly tell you,' said the merchant. 'Who knows but
I may?' said the little man: 'tell me what ails you, and perhaps you
will find I may be of some use.' Then the merchant told him how all his
wealth was gone to the bottom of the sea, and how he had nothing left
but that little plot of land. 'Oh, trouble not yourself about that,'
said the dwarf; 'only undertake to bring me here, twelve years hence,
whatever meets you first on your going home, and I will give you as much
as you please.' The merchant thought this was no great thing to ask;