Korte beschrijving/Annotatie

Een sprookjesachtige vertelling over een soldaat die na de oorlog over de grote weg naar huis marcheert. Onderweg ontmoet hij een oude heks die hem belooft dat hij zoveel geld kan krijgen als hij wil. Ze wijst hem op een holle boom met een opening waardoor hij diep naar beneden kan afdalen, terwijl zij hem met een touw weer kan optrekken. De kern ligt bij de ontmoeting tussen soldaat en heks, de verleiding van rijkdom en de dreiging van een onbekende ondergrondse afdaling.

Tekst achterflap

There came a soldier marching down the high road-one, two! one, two! He had his knapsack on his back and his sword at his side as he came home from the wars. On the road he met a witch, an ugly old witch, a witch whose lower lip dangled right down on her chest.

"Good evening, soldier," she said. "What a fine sword you've got there, and what a big knapsack. Aren't you every inch a soldier! And now you shall have money, as much as you please."

"That's very kind, you old witch," said the soldier.

"See that big tree." The witch pointed to one near by them. "It's hollow to the roots. Climb to the top of the trunk and you'll find a hole through which you can let yourself down deep under the tree. I'll tie a rope around your middle, so that when you call me I can pull you up again."

Beschrijving

There came a soldier marching down the high road-one, two! one, two! He had his knapsack on his back and his sword at his side as he came home from the wars. On the road he met a witch, an ugly old witch, a witch whose lower lip dangled right down on her chest.

"Good evening, soldier," she said. "What a fine sword you've got there, and what a big knapsack. Aren't you every inch a soldier! And now you shall have money, as much as you please."

"That's very kind, you old witch," said the soldier.

"See that big tree." The witch pointed to one near by them. "It's hollow to the roots. Climb to the top of the trunk and you'll find a hole through which you can let yourself down deep under the tree. I'll tie a rope around your middle, so that when you call me I can pull you up again."

Details