Once there lived a woodcutter who had three sons. The eldest two lads were big and strong, but the third boy was different. His name was Ashlad, and he loved to sit in front of the hearth and read and dream. The elder boys often teased him.

ゑ3ＷｗＷ。Ｆａｉrｙ-ｔａＬＥ．IＮfＯJ

"What good is reading?" they would ask. ㄈサみkУｗＷW.fAIｒｙ－TAlＥ。iＮｆoC

When the woodcutter grew old and his debts began to mount, he called his two eldest sons to his side. ∝WWW.ＦＡＩｒY－TAｌｅ．IＮｆｏГはツ(Б

"I'm too old for this work," he said, "you'll have to chop wood to pay our debts."

ㄞゥWｗＷ。fＡｉRｙ-ｔaｌe．Ｉnfｏ№くた

The two sons went into the forest.

Just as they prepared to chop down a tree, a hideous troll called out, "Chop my wood and I'll kill you."

ｗＷW.ＦＡｉＲy－ＴａlＥ.ＩnFoメθ※まí

Terrified, the sons ran home. "The troll will kill us if we chop his wood," they told their father. GふｗＷｗ.Ｆａiｒy-tａＬe.InＦｏ

Now the father was distraught. "Who will help me pay our debts? We're doomed!" he lamented. §wwW.ＦaIry-tａｌe。IＮFOЁО∥ッōタ

But Ashlad said, "I'll chop the wood." wｗw。ｆaIRＹ－tａＬE.InｆＯ

The others laughed, but Ashlad did not care. He had read about trolls, and so he packed a big round cheese in his bag, and then tucked the bag inside his shirt. Then he walked into the woods.

Just as Ashlad raised his ax, a voice thundered, "Chop my wood and I'll kill you!"

ゅ∧ほㄦwｗw.FＡｉry－ｔalｅ.iＮfOキ∫úㄔجمα

Ashlad did not run. He turned, reached into his bag, and pulled out the big round cheese.

IフwＷｗ．ｆＡiRＹ－ＴａLＥ.Ｉnfo/ン

"What's that?" asked the troll. ˙トナ7∫Wｗw。FＡIＲy－taLE.inＦＯ∵ㄉǖδ((

Ashlad smiled. "A big rock," he said, and then he squeezed the cheese until water dripped out of it.

The troll was stunned. "You squeezed water out of that rock!" he exclaimed. KЗwｗｗ.ｆaIrＹ-ｔＡLE．Iｎfoφξˇ∮ㄚ

"I did," Ashlad said, "and I'll do the same to you unless you help me chop this wood and carry it home." КすH⊥wWw．fａｉｒy-TAｌＥ.infOと

"Very well," said the troll. YkｗWｗ．ＦaＩrｙ－tAｌＥ．InｆＯヴЕ

The two worked until it was almost sunset. WWW.fAＩRＹ-tＡle．iｎfoПEㄇdJ

The troll did not want to lose his wood, so he said, "Let's go to my place and eat before we take this wood to your home." МフつWWW.FAirY－ｔＡＬE.iNｆｏたヱòㄤωㄐ

"Good idea," Ashlad said.

The two prepared a stew. ふ⌒ШコwＷw．fAiｒY-TａLｅ．iｎｆOrひˇǖ

"How much would you like?" asked the troll. ふㄎ≡WＷW.faｉＲY－ｔａＬe．INfoフ*8ト

Ashlad grinned. "More than you, I'm sure," he said.

ォ⊥ｗWW．ｆAIｒY-ＴAlＥ。iNFＯっ々aけМūみ

The troll howled with laughter. "No man can eat as much as I."

"We'll see," said Ashlad, and the two sat down. Ashlad began to spoon up stew, and whenever the troll wasn't looking, he slipped a spoonful into the bag hidden beneath his shirt. ｗｗW.FａIRｙ－tＡＬe．ｉNｆO낱てㄜ

This went on until the troll was full. "You're not full?" asked the troll, staring in wonder at this little man. §β9wｗw．faｉrY-ＴaLｅ。ｉnfｏフЯФЧ∪

"I'm getting there," Ashlad said, "so I think I'll make more room." Ashlad took his knife and made a slit in his shirt, into the hidden bag.

KЗwｗｗ.ｆaIrＹ-ｔＡLE．Iｎfoφξˇ∮ㄚ

"Doesn't that hurt?" the troll asked. ò€^ハDＷWｗ．ｆａＩｒy－TALe．ｉＮＦO√ネ∝flㄩ

"A little," answered Ashlad, "But it gives me more room," and he resumed eating. "Why don't you try it?" he asked the troll.

ξتر『ㄔúWＷＷ．ＦａIｒｙ－Taｌe。INｆｏ≡

So the troll lifted up his knife and did just what Ashlad had done, and he died.

Ashlad then carried the troll's jewels and gold home, pleased to be able to help his family. He always knew that his reading and learning would pay off!