"Come in, come in!" said Billy.

After he had eaten and drunk his full, the hermit said to Billy:
"Well, three times have you been good and kind to me. I'll give you
three wishes, and whatever you wish will be sure to come true."

"I must have time to consider," said Billy.

"Oh, you shall have plenty of time to consider, and mind they are
good wishes."

Next morning Billy told the hermit he was ready. "Well, go on; be
sure they're good wishes," said the hermit.

"Well, I've got a big sledge-hammer in the smithy, and I wish
whoever gets hold of that hammer shall go on striking the anvil, and
never break it, till I tell him to stop."

"Oh, that's a bad wish, Billy."

"Oh, no; you'll see it's good. Next thing I wish for is a purse so
that no one can take out whatever I put into it."

"Oh, Billy, Billy! that's a bad wish. Be careful now about the third
wish," said the hermit.

"Well, I have got an armchair upstairs, and I wish that whoever may
sit in that armchair will never be able to get up till I let them."