"
She clapped her hands together and instantly the
table appeared before her, spread with snowy linen
and laden with golden dishes. But there was no
food upon the table, nor anything else except a
pitcher of water, a bundle of weeds and a handful
of pebbles. But the Giantess poured some water into
her coffee-pot, patted it once or twice with her hand,
and then poured out a cupful of steaming hot coffee.
"Would you like some?" she asked Woot.
He was suspicious of magic coffee, but it smelled so
good that he could not resist it; so he answered: "If
you please, Madam."
The Giantess poured out another cup and set it on the
floor for Woot. It was as big as a tub, and the golden
spoon in the saucer beside the cup was so heavy the boy
could scarcely lift it. But Woot managed to get a sip
of the coffee and found it delicious.
Mrs. Yoop next transformed the weeds into a dish of
oatmeal, which she ate with good appetite.
"Now, then," said she, picking up the pebbles. "I'm
wondering whether I shall have fish-balls or lamb-chops
to complete my meal. Which would you prefer, Woot the Wanderer?"
"If you please, I'll eat the food in my knapsack,"
answered the boy. "Your magic food might taste good,
but I'm afraid of it."
The woman laughed at his fears and transformed the
pebbles into fish-balls.
"I suppose you think that after you had eaten this
food it would turn to stones again and make you sick,"
she remarked; "but that would be impossible.
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