but the latter , who suspected where all this wealth had come from , did not wish to be any poorer than andrew . he knew that trolls and goblins walk mainly on christmas eve , and for that reason he sailed out to the sand banks at that time . and on christmas eve he did see a light or fire , but it seemed to be like will - o'-the - wisps fluttering about . when he came nearer he heard splashes , horrible howls , and cold , piercing cries , and there was a smell of slime and sea - weed , as at ebb - tide . terrified , he ran up into the hut , from whence he could see the trolls on the shore . they were short and thick like hay - ricks , completely covered with fur , with kirtles of skins , fishing boots , and enormous fist - gloves . in place of head and hair they had bundles of sea - weed . when they crawled up from the strand there was a gleam behind them like that of rotting wood , and when they shook themselves they showered sparks about them . when they drew nearer , john nicholas crawled up into the loft as his brother had done . the goblins dragged a great stone into the hut , and began to beat their gloves dry against it , and meanwhile they screamed so that john nicholas 's blood turned to ice in his hiding - place . then one of them sneezed into the ashes on the hearth in order to make the fire burn again ; while the others carried in heather - grass and drift - wood , as coarse and heavy as lead .
how did the fire burn again ?
one of the trolls sneezed into the ashes on the hearth .
one of them sneezed into the ahses on the hearth in order to make the fire burn again .