once upon a time there was a mill , in which it was impossible to grind flour , because such strange things kept happening there . but there was a poor woman who was in urgent need of a little meal one evening , and she asked whether they would not allow her to grind a little flour during the night . " for heaven 's sake , " said the mill - owner , " that is quite impossible ! there are ghosts enough in the mill as it is . " but the woman said that she must grind a little ; for she did not have a pinch of flour in the house with which to make mush , and there was nothing for her children to eat . so at last he allowed her to go to the mill at night and grind some flour . when she came , she lit a fire under a big tar - barrel that was standing there ; got the mill going , sat down by the fire , and began to knit . after a time a girl came in and nodded to her . " good evening ! " said she to the woman . " good evening ! " said the woman ; kept her seat , and went on knitting . but then the girl who had come in began to pull apart the fire on the hearth . the woman built it up again .
why was it impossible to grind flour in the mill ?
such strange things kept happening there .
because such strange things kept happening there .