In a small town in Denmark, there was a kind - hearted merchant. He ran a small grocery store filled with all kinds of daily necessities and trinkets. The merchant always warmly welcomed every customer. Whether they were poor or rich, he would offer the most sincere advice and the most favorable prices.
One night, as usual, the merchant was taking stock of the goods in the store and getting ready to close. Suddenly, he heard a tiny voice muttering in the corner, "Oh, I'm so hungry." The merchant was startled. He looked around and found a goblin. This goblin was short and small, green all over, and had a pair of big ears. Instead of being frightened, the merchant gently asked the goblin, "How come you are here?" The goblin said pitifully, "I've been hungry for several days and I have nowhere to go." Sympathy welled up in the merchant's heart. He took some bread and fruit from the shelf and handed them to the goblin, saying, "Then have something to eat first."
The goblin took the food and devoured it. After that, he said to the merchant, "You are such a good person. I want to repay you." The merchant smiled and said, "No need. It's just a little help." But the goblin was very insistent. Since then, the goblin stayed in the store. Although he was mischievous, he also helped the merchant a great deal. For example, at night, he would help the merchant organize the goods, neatly arranging the disorderly items.
Once, the merchant encountered a big trouble. A competitor maliciously lowered the price, trying to drive the merchant's store out of business. The merchant was very distressed and didn't know what to do. After the goblin knew about it, he sneaked into the competitor's store and found that there were some quality problems with their goods. The goblin quietly spread this news to the townspeople. After the townspeople knew about it, they no longer shopped at that store. The merchant's business gradually improved again.
The merchant was very grateful to the goblin. He made a new piece of clothing for the goblin. The goblin was extremely happy when he put on the new clothes. They celebrated together in the store, and the neighbors around also came to congratulate the merchant. Since then, the merchant managed his grocery store more attentively, and the goblin has always been with him. They became the most special friends in the small town.
