第18章

Therewasonceuponatimeamanwhounderstoodallsortsofarts；heservedinthewar，andborehimselfbravelyandwell；

butwhenthewarwasover，hegothisdischarge，andsetoutonhistravelswiththreefarthingsofhispayinhispocket。

’Wait，’hesaid；’thatdoesnotpleaseme；onlyletmefindtherightpeople，andtheKingshallyetgivemeallthetreasuresofhiskingdom。’Hestrodeangrilyintotheforest，andtherehesawamanstandingwhohaduprootedsixtreesasiftheywerestraws。Hesaidtohim，’Willyoubemyservantandtravelwithme？’

’Yes，’heanswered；’butfirstofallIwilltakethislittlebundleofstickshometomymother，’andhetookoneofthetreesandwounditroundtheotherfive，raisedthebundleonhisshouldersandboreitoff。Thenhecamebackandwentwithhismaster，whosaid，’Wetwooughttobeabletotravelthroughthewideworld！’Andwhentheyhadgonealittlewaytheycameuponahunter，whowasonhisknees，hisgunonhisshoulder，aimingatsomething。Themastersaidtohim，’Hunter，whatareyouaimingat？’

Heanswered，’Twomilesfromthisplacesitsaflyonabranchofanoak；Iwanttoshootoutitslefteye。’

’Oh，gowithme，’saidtheman；’ifwethreearetogetherweshalleasilytravelthroughthewideworld。’

Thehunteragreedandwentwithhim，andtheycametosevenwindmillswhosesailsweregoingroundquitefast，andyettherewasnotabreathofwind，norwasaleafmoving。Themansaid，’Idon’tknowwhatisturningthosewindmills；thereisnottheslightestbreezeblowing。’Sohewalkedonwithhisservants，andwhentheyhadgonetwomilestheysawamansittingonatree，holdingoneofhisnostrilsandblowingoutoftheother。

’Fellow，whatareyoupuffingatupthere？’askedtheman。

Hereplied，’Twomilesfromthisplacearestandingsevenwindmills；see，Iamblowingtodrivethemround。’

’Oh，gowithme，’saidtheman；’ifwefouraretogetherweshalleasilytravelthroughthewideworld。’

Sotheblowergotdownandwentwithhim，andafteratimetheysawamanwhowasstandingononeleg，andhadunstrappedtheotherandlaiditnearhim。Thensaidthemaster，’Youhavemadeyourselfverycomfortabletorest！’

’Iamarunner，’answeredhe；’andsothatIshallnotgotooquickly，Ihaveunstrappedoneleg；whenIrunwithtwolegs，I

gofasterthanabirdflies。’

’Oh，gowithme；ifwefivearetogether，weshalleasilytravelthroughthewideworld。’Sohewentwithhim，and，notlongafterwards，theymetamanwhoworealittlehat，buthehaditslouchedoveroneear。

’Manners，manners！’saidthemastertohim；’don’thangyourhatoveroneear；youlooklikeamadman！’

’Idarenot，’saidtheother，’forifIweretoputmyhatonstraight，therewouldcomesuchafrostthattheverybirdsintheskywouldfreezeandfalldeadontheearth。’

’Oh，gowithme，’saidthemaster；’ifwesixaretogether，weshalleasilytravelthroughthewideworld。

NowtheSixcametoatowninwhichtheKinghadproclaimedthatwhoevershouldrunwithhisdaughterinarace，andwin，shouldbecomeherhusband；butifhelost，hemustlosehishead。Thiswasreportedtothemanwhodeclaredhewouldcompete，’but，’hesaid，’Ishallletmyservantrunforme。’

TheKingreplied，’Thenbothyourheadsmustbestaked，andyourheadandhismustbeguaranteedforthewinner。’

Whenthiswasagreeduponandsettled，themanstrappedontherunner’sotherleg，sayingtohim，’Nowbenimble，andseethatwewin！’Itwasarrangedthatwhoevershouldfirstbringwateroutofastreamalongwayoff，shouldbethevictor。Thentherunnergotapitcher，andtheKing’sdaughteranother，andtheybegantorunatthesametime；butinamoment，whentheKing’sdaughterwasonlyjustalittlewayoff，nospectatorcouldseetherunner，anditseemedasifthewindhadwhistledpast。Inashorttimehereachedthestream，filledhispitcherwithwater，andturnedroundagain。But，halfwayhome，agreatdrowsinesscameoverhim；heputdownhispitcher，laydown，andfellasleep。Hehad，however，putahorse’sskullwhichwaslyingontheground，forhispillow，sothatheshouldnotbetoocomfortableandmightsoonwakeup。

InthemeantimetheKing’sdaughter，whocouldalsorunwell，aswellasanordinarymancould，reachedthestream，andhastenedbackwithherpitcherfullofwater。Whenshesawtherunnerlyingthereasleep，shewasdelighted，andsaid，’Myenemyisgivenintomyhands！’Sheemptiedhispitcherandranon。

Everythingnowwouldhavebeenlost，ifbygoodluckthehunterhadnotbeenstandingonthecastletowerandhadseeneverythingwithhissharpeyes。

’Ah，’saidhe，’theKing’sdaughtershallnotoverreachus；’and，loadinghisgun，heshotsocleverly，thatheshotawaythehorse’sskullfromundertherunner’shead，withoutitshurtinghim。Thentherunnerawoke，jumpedup，andsawthathispitcherwasemptyandtheKing’sdaughterfarahead。Buthedidnotlosecourage，andranbacktothestreamwithhispitcher，filleditoncemorewithwater，andwashometenminutesbeforetheKing’sdaughterarrived。

’Look，’saidhe，’Ihaveonlyjustexercisedmylegs；thatwasnothingofarun。’

ButtheKingwasangry，andhisdaughterevenmoreso，thatsheshouldbecarriedawaybyacommon，dischargedsoldier。Theyconsultedtogetherhowtheycoulddestroybothhimandhiscompanions。

’Then，’saidtheKingtoher，’Ihavefoundaway。Don’tbefrightened；theyshallnotcomehomeagain。’Hesaidtothem，’Youmustnowmakemerrytogether，andeatanddrink，’andheledthemintoaroomwhichhadafloorofiron；thedoorswerealsoofiron，andthewindowswerebarredwithiron。Intheroomwasatablespreadwithdeliciousfood。TheKingsaidtothem，’Goinandenjoyyourselves，’andassoonastheywereinsidehehadthedoorsshutandbolted。Thenhemadethecookcome，andorderedhimtokeepupalargefireundertheroomuntiltheironwasred-hot。Thecookdidso，andtheSixsittingroundthetablefeltitgrowverywarm，andtheythoughtthiswasbecauseoftheirgoodfare；butwhentheheatbecamestillgreaterandtheywantedtogoout，butfoundthedoorsandwindowsfastened，thentheyknewthattheKingmeantthemharmandwastryingtosuffocatethem。

’Butheshallnotsucceed，’criedheofthelittlehat，’Iwillmakeafrostcomewhichshallmakethefireashamedanddieout！’

Soheputhishatonstraight，andatoncetherecamesuchafrostthatalltheheatdisappearedandthefoodonthedishesbegantofreeze。Whenacoupleofhourshadpassed，andtheKingthoughttheymustbequitedeadfromtheheat，hehadthedoorsopenedandwentinhimselftosee。

Butwhenthedoorswereopened，therestoodallSix，aliveandwell，sayingtheyweregladtheycouldcomeouttowarmthemselves，forthegreatcoldintheroomhadfrozenallthefoodhardinthedishes。ThentheKingwentangrilytothecook，andscoldedhim，andaskedhimwhyhehadnotdonewhathewastold。

Butthecookanswered，’Thereisheatenoughthere；seeforyourself。’ThentheKingsawahugefireburningundertheironroom，andunderstoodthathecoulddonoharmtotheSixinthisway。TheKingnowbeganagaintothinkhowhecouldfreehimselffromhisunwelcomeguests。Hecommandedthemastertocomebeforehim，andsaid，’Ifyouwilltakegold，andgiveupyourrighttomydaughter，youshallhaveasmuchasyoulike。’

’Oh，yes，yourMajesty，’answeredhe，’givemeasmuchasmyservantcancarry，andIwillgiveupyourdaughter。’

TheKingwasdelighted，andthemansaid，’Iwillcomeandfetchitinfourteendays。’

Thenhecalledallthetailorsinthekingdomtogether，andmadethemsitdownforfourteendayssewingatasack。Whenitwasfinished，hemadethestrongmanwhohaduprootedthetreestakethesackonhisshoulderandgowithhimtotheKing。ThentheKingsaid，’Whatapowerfulfellowthatis，carryingthatbaleoflinenaslargeasahouseonhisshoulder！’andhewasmuchfrightened，andthought’Whatalotofgoldhewillmakeawaywith！’Thenhehadatonofgoldbrought，whichsixteenofthestrongestmenhadtocarry；butthestrongmanseizeditwithonehand，putitinthesack，saying，’Whydon’tyoubringmemore？

Thatscarcelycoversthebottom！’ThentheKinghadtosendagainandagaintofetchhistreasures，whichthestrongmanshovedintothesack，andthesackwasonlyhalffull。

’Bringmore，’hecried，’thesecrumbsdon’tfillit。’Soseventhousandwaggonsofthegoldofthewholekingdomweredrivenup；

thesethestrongmanshovedintothesack，oxenandall。

’Iwillnolongerbeparticular，’hesaid，’andwilltakewhatcomes，sothatthesackshallbefull。’

Wheneverythingwasputinandtherewasnotyetenough，hesaid，’Iwillmakeanendofthis；itiseasytofastenasackwhenitisnotfull。’Thenhethrewitonhisbackandwentwithhiscompanions。

Now，whentheKingsawhowasinglemanwascarryingawaythewealthofthewholecountryhewasveryangry，andmadehiscavalrymountandpursuetheSix，andbringbackthestrongmanwiththesack。Tworegimentssoonovertookthem，andcalledtothem，’Youareprisoners！laydownthesackofgoldoryoushallbecutdown。’

’Whatdoyousay？’saidtheblower，’weareprisoners？Beforethat，youshalldanceintheair！’Andheheldonenostrilandblewwiththeotheratthetworegiments；theywereseparatedandblownawayintheblueskyoverthemountains，onethisway，andtheotherthat。Asergeant-majorcriedformercy，sayinghehadninewounds，andwasabravefellow，anddidnotdeservethisdisgrace。Sotheblowerlethimoff，andhecamedownwithouthurt。Thenhesaidtohim，’NowgohometotheKing，andsaythatifhesendsanymorecavalryIwillblowthemallintotheair。’

WhentheKingreceivedthemessage，hesaid，’Letthefellowsgo；

theyarebewitched。’ThentheSixbroughtthetreasurehome，shareditamongthemselves，andlivedcontentedlytilltheendoftheirdays。