Clomp, clomp, clomp went the soldier’s boots on the dusty road. He was coming home from the war, and oh, he was tired! Suddenly, an old woman with a very pointy chin popped up. "Good day, soldier!" she croaked. "You have a shiny sword and a big backpack. Want to get even richer?"

The soldier, whose pockets were rather empty, said, "That sounds good! How?"

"See that big, hollow tree?" the witch pointed. "Climb down inside. At the bottom, you'll find three doors. Behind the first, a dog with eyes as big as teacups sits on a chest full of copper coins. Behind the second, a dog with eyes as big as dinner plates guards silver coins. And behind the third, a dog with eyes as big as cartwheels watches over gold coins! Don't worry, if you put them on my blue-checked apron, which I'll lend you, they won't harm you. Then, bring me the old tinderbox my grandmother forgot down there."

"Sounds like a deal!" said the soldier. He climbed into the tree, slid down, and found himself in a wide passage lit by many lamps, just as the witch had said.

He opened the first door. Woof! There sat the dog with eyes as big as teacups, staring at him. "Good doggy," said the soldier, and quickly put him on the witch's apron. He filled his pockets with copper coins, then put the dog back on the chest and went to the next door.

Woof woof! This dog had eyes as big as dinner plates! "You're a fine fellow," said the soldier, placing him on the apron. He stuffed his pockets with silver coins, then put the dog back and hurried to the last door.

WOOF! This dog was enormous, with eyes as big as cartwheels, spinning in its head! "Goodness me!" said the soldier. He carefully placed this huge dog on the apron and scooped up handfuls of shiny gold coins, throwing out all the copper and silver to make room. He found the tinderbox, tucked it in his belt, and shouted up, "Pull me up, old woman!"

"Have you got the tinderbox?" she called down.
"Yes, I have!" he replied.
Once he was out, he asked, "What's this tinderbox for?"
The witch just cackled. "Not telling!"
The soldier didn't like that one bit. "Tell me, or I'll keep it!"
The witch just shook her head. So, the soldier, who was a bit tired of witches by now, decided he'd keep the tinderbox and marched off, leaving the witch looking very surprised and quite cross.

The soldier went to a big town. He found the fanciest inn, ordered the best food, and bought new, splendid clothes. He had so much money! He made lots of new friends who said he was a wonderful fellow (especially when he was paying!). But gold doesn't last forever if you keep spending. Soon, his pockets were empty. He had to move from his fancy room to a tiny attic. All his fine friends stopped visiting. It was dark and cold.

One evening, he couldn't even afford a candle. He remembered the tinderbox. "Maybe I can get a tiny spark from this," he thought. He struck it once. WHOOSH! In front of him stood the dog with eyes as big as teacups.
"What does my master command?" barked the dog.
"Wow!" said the soldier. "Get me some money!"
Zip! The dog was gone, and zip! It was back with a bag full of copper coins.

The soldier struck the tinderbox twice. WHOOSH! There was the dog with eyes like dinner plates.
"What does my master command?" it barked.
"Get me more money!" said the soldier.
Zip! The dog was back with a bag of silver.

He struck it three times. WHOOSH! The enormous dog with eyes like cartwheels appeared.
"What does my master command?" it boomed.
"Gold!" cried the soldier. "Lots of gold!"
And in a flash, the dog brought him a huge sack of gold.
Now the soldier understood the tinderbox. It was magic! He moved back to his fancy rooms and bought even finer clothes.

One day, he thought, "I wonder what the princess looks like? They say she's very beautiful but kept locked in a castle because a prophecy said she'd marry a common soldier." He wanted to see her.
So, that night, he struck the tinderbox once. "Bring me the princess," he told the teacup-eyed dog.
In a blink, the dog returned with the princess asleep on its back. She was so lovely! The soldier gave her a little kiss (a very polite one!), and the dog took her back before anyone woke up.

The next day, the princess told the Queen about a strange dream of a dog and a handsome soldier. The Queen was clever. The next night, an old lady-in-waiting sat by the princess's bed with a little bag of chalk dust. When the dog carried the princess away, the lady made a tiny hole in the bag, so chalk dust trickled out, making a trail.

The dog didn't notice. The next morning, the King and Queen saw the white trail leading right to the soldier's house! Oh dear. The soldier was arrested and thrown into prison. "Tomorrow, you'll be hanged!" they told him.

Sitting in the dark prison, the soldier felt glum. He had no tinderbox! He saw a little boy outside the window. "Hey, kid!" he called. "If you run to my old room and get my tinderbox, I'll give you four pennies!" The boy ran off and came back with it. Phew!

At the place where they were going to hang him, the King and Queen and many people were there. The soldier asked for one last wish. "May I smoke my pipe one last time?" he asked.
"Oh, alright," said the King, who thought it wouldn't make much difference.
The soldier took out his tinderbox. Strike one! Strike two! Strike three!
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! All three dogs appeared, their eyes blazing.
"Save me!" cried the soldier.
The dogs growled. The one with eyes like teacups grabbed the mean judge. The one with eyes like dinner plates tossed the King high in the air. And the biggest dog, with eyes like cartwheels, sent the Queen spinning! Everyone else was so scared they ran away as fast as their legs could carry them.

The people who were left cheered! "You should be our king, brave soldier!" they shouted.
So, the soldier became king, and he married the beautiful princess. The three dogs sat at the wedding feast, their eyes shining brightly, and they all lived happily, with plenty of treats for the good dogs, of course!

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