Here was once a man who travelled
the land all over in search of a wife. He saw young and old, rich and
poor, pretty and plain, and could not meet with one to his mind. At last
he found a woman, young, fair, and rich, who possessed a right arm of
solid gold. He married her at once, and thought no man so fortunate as
he was. They lived happily together, but, though he wished people to
think otherwise, he was fonder of the golden arm than of all his wife's
gifts besides.
At last she died. The husband put on the blackest black, and pulled the
longest face at the funeral; but for all that he got up in the middle of
the night, dug up the body, and cut off the golden arm. He hurried home
to hide his treasure, and thought no one would know.
The following night he put the golden arm under his pillow, and was just
falling asleep, when the ghost of his dead wife glided into the room.
Stalking up to the bedside it drew the curtain, and looked at him
reproachfully. Pretending not to be afraid, he spoke to the ghost, and
said:
"What hast thou done with thy cheeks
so red?"
"All withered and wasted away," replied the ghost, in a hollow tone.
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