Prevod
Bila je zima in deček se je odpravil v gozd nabirat drva, da bi doma lahko kurili. Ker je tla prekrival sneg, je s seboj vzel svoje male sani, saj je na njih lahko domov pripeljal večji tovor, kot bi ga mogel prinesti na hrbtu.
Nabral je kup odpadlih vej in jih nato lepo zložil na sani, večje kose pa položil na dno. Še preden je končal, so mu prsti skoraj pomrznili, saj ni imel rokavic. »Preden začnem vleči sani proti domu,« si je rekel, »bom zakuril ogenj in si malo pogrel roke.«
Vzel je palico in odgrnil nekaj snega, da bi pripravil prostor za ogenj. Ko je to storil, je zagledal droben zlat ključek, ki je ležal na tleh. Deček ga je začudeno pobral. »Kjer je ključ, mora biti tudi ključavnica,« je rekel.
Začel je odkopavati zemljo in kmalu našel nenavadno skrinjico iz železa, okrašeno s srebrnimi vložki. Na njenem pokrovu je bilo nekaj napisano, a deček napisa ni znal prebrati.
Dvignil je skrinjico iz zemlje in zazdelo se mu je, da se v njej nekaj premika. Tedaj mu je droben glasek, tenak kakor nit, zaklical: »Spusti me ven! Spusti me ven in poskrbel bom, da boš obogatel.«
Deček je bil silno presenečen. Skrinjica se mu je zdela premajhna, da bi bilo v njej lahko kakšno živo bitje. »Kdo si?« je vprašal. »Odpri skrinjico in boš videl. Če me le spustiš ven, ti ne bo nikoli žal.«
Deček je vtaknil zlati ključek v ključavnico in ta se je natanko prilegal. Obrnil ga je in ključavnica se je odprla. Kaj pa je bilo v skrinjici, boste lahko videli šele, ko bo dvignil pokrov.
Izvirnik
It was winter, and a little lad had gone out into the forest to gather wood to keep the fire going at home. As there was snow upon the ground he took his little sledge with him, for he could carry home a larger load on the sledge than on his back.
He gathered together a heap of fallen branches, and then piled them neatly on the sledge, putting the larger pieces at the bottom. Before he had finished the task his fingers were almost frozen, for he had no mittens. “Before I start to drag my sled home,” said he to himself, “I will build a fire and warm my hands a bit.”
He took a stick, and cleared away some of the snow, so as to have a place to build the fire. When he had done this he saw a little golden key lying there on the ground. The little lad picked it up, wondering. “Wherever there is a key, there must be a lock,” he said.
He began to scrape away the earth, and presently he found a curious looking chest made of iron inlaid with silver. There were words written on the lid of the chest, but the little boy could not read them.
He lifted the chest out from the earth, and it seemed to him that something was stirring inside of it. Then a little thin voice, as thin as a thread, cried to him. “Let me out! Let me out, and I will make your fortune.”
The little boy was very much surprised. The chest seemed too small for any living being to be in it.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“Open the chest and see. If you will only let me out you will never be sorry.”
The little boy put the golden key in the lock and it fitted exactly. He turned it round and the lock flew back. But as to what was in the chest you will have to wait until he lifts the lid before you can see.
