a great fire had broken out

a great fire had broken out; the whole town was in flames.Was it in the house? or was it at a neighbour's? Where was it?The alarm increased. The grocer's wife was so terrified that she took her gold earrings out of her ears and put them in her pocket in order to save something. The grocer seized his account books. and the maid her black silk dress.Everyone wanted to save his most valuable possession; so did the Goblin, and in a few leaps he was up the stairs and in the student's room. He was standing quietly by the open window looking at the fire that was burning in the neighbour's house just opposite. The Goblin seized the book lying on the table, put it in his red cap, and clasped it with both hands. The best treasure in the house was saved, and he climbed out on to the roof with it--on to the chimney. There he sat, lighted up by the flames from the burning house opposite, both hands holding tightly on his red cap, in which lay the treasure; and now he knew what his heart really valued most--to whom he really belonged. But when the fire was put out, and the Goblin thought it over--then--'I will divide myself between the two,' he said. 'I cannot quite give up the grocer, because of the jam!'And it is just the same with us. We also cannot quite give up the grocer--because of the jam.