Once upon a time there was a certain man, who, being overtaken by darkness among the mountains, was driven to seek shelter in the trunk of a hollow tree.

In the middle of the night, a large company of fairies assembled at the place, and the man, peeping out from his hiding place, was frightened out of his wits.

After a while, however, the faries began to feast and drink wine, and to amuse themselves by singing and dancing, until at last the man, caught by the infection of the fun, forgot all about his fright, and crept out of his hollow tree to join in the revels.

When the day was about to dawn, the fairies said to the man, “You’re a very jolly companion, and must come out and have a dance with us again. You must make us a promise and keep it”. So the elves, thinking to bind the man over to return, took a large wart that grew on his forehead and keep his pledge.

Upon this they all left the place, and went home. The man walked off to house in glee at having passed a jovial night, and got rid of his wart into the bargain. He told the story to all his friends, who congratulated him warmly on being cured of his wart. But he had a neighbour who was also troubled with a wart of a long standing. When he heard of his friends luck, he was smitten with envy, and went to find the hollow tree, in which he passed the night.

Towards midnight the elves came, as he had expected, and began feasting and drinking, with songs and dances as before. As soon as he saw this, he came out of his hollow tree, and began dancing and singing as his neighbour had done. The elves, mistaking him for their former boon-companion, were delighted to see him, and said: “You’re a good fellow to recollect your promise, and we’ll give you back your pledge,” so one of the elves, pulling the pawned wart out of his pocket, stuck it onto the man’s forehead, on the top of the other wart which he already had.

And the envious neighbour went home weeping, with two warts instead of one. This is a good lesson to people who cannot see the good luck of others, without coveting themselves.