第13章
ButthemoreFerkoweptandtoldhisbrothersthathewasdyingofhunger，themoretheylaughedandscoldedhimforhisgreed。
Soheenduredthepangsofstarvationallthatday，butwhennightcamehisendurancegaveway，andhelethisrighteyebeputoutandhisrightlegbrokenforasecondpieceofbread。
Afterhisbrothershadthussuccessfullymaimedanddisfiguredhimforlife，theylefthimgroaningonthegroundandcontinuedtheirjourneywithouthim。
PoorFerkoateupthescrapofbreadtheyhadlefthimandweptbitterly，butnooneheardhimorcametohishelp。Nightcameon，andthepoorblindyouthhadnoeyestoclose，andcouldonlycrawlalongtheground，notknowingintheleastwherehewasgoing。Butwhenthesunwasoncemorehighintheheavens，Ferkofelttheblazingheatscorchhim，andsoughtforsomecoolshadyplacetoresthisachinglimbs。Heclimbedtothetopofahillandlaydowninthegrass，andashethoughtundertheshadowofabigtree。Butitwasnotreeheleantagainst，butagallowsonwhichtworavenswereseated。Theonewassayingtotheotherasthewearyyouthlaydown，’Isthereanythingtheleastwonderfulorremarkableaboutthisneighbourhood？’
’Ishouldjustthinktherewas，’repliedtheother；’manythingsthatdon’texistanywhereelseintheworld。Thereisalakedowntherebelowus，andanyonewhobathesinit，thoughhewereatdeath’sdoor，becomessoundandwellonthespot，andthosewhowashtheireyeswiththedewonthishillbecomeassharp-sightedastheeagle，eveniftheyhavebeenblindfromtheiryouth。’
’Well，’answeredthefirstraven，’myeyesareinnowantofthishealingbath，for，Heavenbepraised，theyareasgoodasevertheywere；butmywinghasbeenveryfeebleandweakeversinceitwasshotbyanarrowmanyyearsago，soletusflyatoncetothelakethatImayberestoredtohealthandstrengthagain。’
Andsotheyflewaway。
TheirwordsrejoicedFerko’sheart，andhewaitedimpatientlytilleveningshouldcomeandhecouldrubthepreciousdewonhissightlesseyes。
Atlastitbegantogrowdusk，andthesunsankbehindthemountains；graduallyitbecamecooleronthehill，andthegrassgrewwetwithdew。ThenFerkoburiedhisfaceinthegroundtillhiseyesweredampwithdewdrops，andinamomenthesawclearerthanhehadeverdoneinhislifebefore。Themoonwasshiningbrightly，andlightedhimtothelakewherehecouldbathehispoorbrokenlegs。
ThenFerkocrawledtotheedgeofthelakeanddippedhislimbsinthewater。Nosoonerhadhedonesothanhislegsfeltassoundandstrongastheyhadbeenbefore，andFerkothankedthekindfatethathadledhimtothehillwherehehadoverheardtheravens’conversation。Hefilledabottlewiththehealingwater，andthencontinuedhisjourneyinthebestofspirits。
Hehadnotgonefarbeforehemetawolf，whowaslimpingdisconsolatelyalongonthreelegs，andwhoonperceivingFerkobegantohowldismally。
’Mygoodfriend，’saidtheyouth，’beofgoodcheer，forIcansoonhealyourleg，’andwiththesewordshepouredsomeofthepreciouswateroverthewolf’spaw，andinaminutetheanimalwasspringingaboutsoundandwellonallfours。Thegratefulcreaturethankedhisbenefactorwarmly，andpromisedFerkotodohimagoodturnifheshouldeverneedit。
Ferkocontinuedhiswaytillhecametoaploughedfield。Herehenoticedalittlemousecreepingwearilyalongonitshindpaws，foritsfrontpawshadbothbeenbrokeninatrap。
Ferkofeltsosorryforthelittlebeastthathespoketoitinthemostfriendlymanner，andwasheditssmallpawswiththehealingwater。Inamomentthemousewassoundandwhole，andafterthankingthekindphysicianitscamperedawayovertheploughedfurrows。
Ferkoagainproceededonhisjourney，buthehadn’tgonefarbeforeaqueenbeeflewagainsthim，trailingonewingbehindher，whichhadbeencruellytornintwobyabigbird。Ferkowasnolesswillingtohelpherthanhehadbeentohelpthewolfandthemouse，sohepouredsomehealingdropsoverthewoundedwing。Onthespotthequeenbeewascured，andturningtoFerkoshesaid，’Iammostgratefulforyourkindness，andshallrewardyousomeday。’Andwiththesewordssheflewawayhumming，gaily。
ThenFerkowanderedonformanyalongday，andatlengthreachedastrangekingdom。Here，hethoughttohimself，hemightaswellgostraighttothepalaceandofferhisservicestotheKingofthecountry，forhehadheardthattheKing’sdaughterwasasbeautifulastheday。
Sohewenttotheroyalpalace，andasheenteredthedoorthefirstpeoplehesawwerehistwobrotherswhohadsoshamefullyill-treatedhim。TheyhadmanagedtoobtainplacesintheKing’sservice，andwhentheyrecognisedFerkowithhiseyesandlegssoundandwelltheywerefrightenedtodeath，fortheyfearedhewouldtelltheKingoftheirconduct，andthattheywouldbehung。
NosoonerhadFerkoenteredthepalacethanalleyeswereturnedonthehandsomeyouth，andtheKing’sdaughterherselfwaslostinadmiration，forshehadneverseenanyonesohandsomeinherlifebefore。Hisbrothersnoticedthis，andenvyandjealousywereaddedtotheirfear，somuchsothattheydeterminedoncemoretodestroyhim。TheywenttotheKingandtoldhimthatFerkowasawickedmagician，whohadcometothepalacewiththeintentionofcarryingoffthePrincess。
ThentheKinghadFerkobroughtbeforehim，andsaid，’Youareaccusedofbeingamagicianwhowishestorobmeofmydaughter，andIcondemnyoutodeath；butifyoucanfulfilthreetaskswhichIshallsetyoutodoyourlifeshallbespared，onconditionyouleavethecountry；butifyoucannotperformwhatI
demandyoushallbehungonthenearesttree。’
Andturningtothetwowickedbrothershesaid，’Suggestsomethingforhimtodo；nomatterhowdifficult，hemustsucceedinitordie。’
Theydidnotthinklong，butreplied，’LethimbuildyourMajestyinonedayamorebeautifulpalacethanthis，andifhefailsintheattemptlethimbehung。’
TheKingwaspleasedwiththisproposal，andcommandedFerkotosettoworkonthefollowingday。Thetwobrothersweredelighted，fortheythoughttheyhadnowgotridofFerkoforever。Thepooryouthhimselfwasheart-broken，andcursedthehourhehadcrossedtheboundaryoftheKing’sdomain。Ashewaswanderingdisconsolatelyaboutthemeadowsroundthepalace，wonderinghowhecouldescapebeingputtodeath，alittlebeeflewpast，andsettlingonhisshoulderwhisperedinhisear，’Whatistroublingyou，mykindbenefactor？CanIbeofanyhelptoyou？Iamthebeewhosewingyouhealed，andwouldliketoshowmygratitudeinsomeway。’
Ferkorecognisedthequeenbee，andsaid，’Alas！howcouldyouhelpme？forIhavebeensettodoataskwhichnooneinthewholeworldcoulddo，lethimbeeversuchagenius！To-morrowI
mustbuildapalacemorebeautifulthantheKing’s，anditmustbefinishedbeforeevening。’
’Isthatall？’answeredthebee，’thenyoumaycomfortyourself；
forbeforethesungoesdownto-morrownightapalaceshallbebuiltunlikeanythatKinghasdweltinbefore。JuststayheretillIcomeagainandtellyouthatitisfinished。’Havingsaidthissheflewmerrilyaway，andFerko，reassuredbyherwords，laydownonthegrassandsleptpeacefullytillthenextmorning。
Earlyonthefollowingdaythewholetownwasonitsfeet，andeveryonewonderedhowandwherethestrangerwouldbuildthewonderfulpalace。ThePrincessalonewassilentandsorrowful，andhadcriedallnighttillherpillowwaswet，somuchdidshetakethefateofthebeautifulyouthtoheart。
Ferkospentthewholedayinthemeadowswaitingthereturnofthebee。Andwheneveningwascomethequeenbeeflewby，andperchingonhisshouldershesaid，’Thewonderfulpalaceisready。Beofgoodcheer，andleadtheKingtothehilljustoutsidethecitywalls。’Andhumminggailysheflewawayagain。
FerkowentatoncetotheKingandtoldhimthepalacewasfinished。Thewholecourtwentouttoseethewonder，andtheirastonishmentwasgreatatthesightwhichmettheireyes。A
splendidpalacereareditselfonthehilljustoutsidethewallsofthecity，madeofthemostexquisiteflowersthatevergrewinmortalgarden。Theroofwasallofcrimsonroses，thewindowsoflilies，thewallsofwhitecarnations，thefloorsofglowingauriculasandviolets，thedoorsofgorgeoustulipsandnarcissiwithsunflowersforknockers，andallroundhyacinthsandothersweet-smellingflowersbloomedinmasses，sothattheairwasperfumedfarandnearandenchantedallwhowerepresent。
Thissplendidpalacehadbeenbuiltbythegratefulqueenbee，whohadsummonedalltheotherbeesinthekingdomtohelpher。
TheKing’samazementknewnobounds，andthePrincess’seyesbeamedwithdelightassheturnedthemfromthewonderfulbuildingonthedelightedFerko。Butthetwobrothershadgrownquitegreenwithenvy，andonlydeclaredthemorethatFerkowasnothingbutawickedmagician。
TheKing，althoughhehadbeensurprisedandastonishedatthewayhiscommandshadbeencarriedout，wasveryvexedthatthestrangershouldescapewithhislife，andturningtothetwobrothershesaid，’Hehascertainlyaccomplishedthefirsttask，withtheaidnodoubtofhisdiabolicalmagic；butwhatshallwegivehimtodonow？Letusmakeitasdifficultaspossible，andifhefailsheshalldie。’
Thentheeldestbrotherreplied，’Thecornhasallbeencut，butithasnotyetbeenputintobarns；lettheknavecollectallthegraininthekingdomintoonebigheapbeforeto-morrownight，andifasmuchasastalkofcornisleftlethimbeputtodeath。
ThePrincessgrewwhitewithterrorwhensheheardthesewords；
butFerkofeltmuchmorecheerfulthanhehaddonethefirsttime，andwanderedoutintothemeadowsagain，wonderinghowhewastogetoutofthedifficulty。Buthecouldthinkofnowayofescape。Thesunsanktorestandnightcameon，whenalittlemousestartedoutofthegrassatFerko’sfeet，andsaidtohim，’I’mdelightedtoseeyou，mykindbenefactor；butwhyareyoulookingsosad？CanIbeofanyhelptoyou，andthusrepayyourgreatkindnesstome？’
ThenFerkorecognisedthemousewhosefrontpawshehadhealed，andreplied，’AlasIhowcanyouhelpmeinamatterthatisbeyondanyhumanpower！Beforeto-morrownightallthegraininthekingdomhastobegatheredintoonebigheap，andifasmuchasastalkofcorniswantingImustpayforitwithmylife。’