Карлик-нос

           PoorJacobcouldnotverywellownthathehadbeenbewitchedandchangedintoasquirrel,buthewasnotfarfromthetruthwhenhesaidhewasnowwithoutparentsandthathehadlearntcookingfromanoldwoman.

           TheDukedidnoturgehimtosaymore,beingmuchtakenupwithstaring-atthestrangefigureandfeaturesofhisnewcook."Ifyouwillserveme,"hesaid,"Iwillpayyoufiftyducatsayear,giveyouafinerobeandtwopairsofbreeches.Yourdutieswillbetocookmybreakfasteverymorning,orderandsuperintendthepreparationofmydinner,andtakeovertheentiremanagementofthekitchen.AsIalwaysprefertonamemyservantsmyself,IshallgiveyouthenameofLong-Nose,andyourpositionwillbethatofsecondheadcook."

           Long-Nosefellatthefeetofhisnewmaster,kissedthem,andvowedtoservehimfaithfully.Thelittlefellowwasthusprovidedfor,andhecertainlydidhonourtohisposition,fortheDukewasadifferentmanfromthetimethedwarfenteredhisservice.Beforethattimehehadbeeninthehabitofthrowingtheplatesanddishesattheheadofthecookwhodidnotmanagetopleasehim;indeed,ononeoccasionhehadflungacalf’sfootathisheadcookbecauseitwasnotsufficientlytender,and,catchingthepoormanontheforeheadhadhurthimsomuchthatforthreedayshehadtokeephisbed.ItistruetheDukealwayspaidforhisactsoftemperafterwardswithahandfulofducats,but,nevertheless,hiscookswerewonttosetthedishesbeforehiminfearandwithtremblinghands.