’TellhisMajesty，’saidtheSimpleton，’thathisordersshallbeobeyed；’andforthwiththeswiftrunnerunboundthefootthatwasstrungupbehindhisearandstartedoff，andinlessthannotimehadreachedtheworld’sendanddrawnthehealingwaterfromthewell。
’Dearme，’hethoughttohimself，’that’srathertiring！I’lljustrestforafewminutes；itwillbesomelittletimeyetbeforetheKinghasgottodessert。’Sohethrewhimselfdownonthegrass，and，asthesunwasverydazzling，heclosedhiseyes，andinafewsecondshadfallensoundasleep。
Inthemeantimealltheship’screwwereanxiouslyawaitinghim；
theKing’sdinnerwouldsoonbefinished，andtheircomradehadnotyetreturned。Sothemanwiththemarvellousquickhearinglaydownand，puttinghiseartotheground，listened。
’That’sanicesortoffellow！’hesuddenlyexclaimed。’He’slyingontheground，snoringhard！’
Atthisthemarksmanseizedhisgun，tookaim，andfiredinthedirectionoftheworld’send，inordertoawakenthesluggard。
Andamomentlatertheswiftrunnerreappeared，and，steppingonboardtheship，handedthehealingwatertotheSimpleton。SowhiletheKingwasstillsittingattablefinishinghisdinnernewswasbroughttohimthathisordershadbeenobeyedtotheletter。
Whatwastobedonenow？TheKingdeterminedtothinkofastillmoreimpossibletask。SohetoldanothercourtiertogototheSimpletonwiththecommandthatheandhiscomradeswereinstantlytoeatuptwelveoxenandtwelvetonsofbread。Oncemorethesharp-earedcomradeoverheardtheKing’swordswhilehewasstilltalkingtothecourtier，andreportedthemtotheSimpleton。
’Alas，alas！’hesighed；’whatintheworldshallIdo？Why，itwouldtakeusayear，possiblyourwholelives，toeatuptwelveoxenandtwelvetonsofbread。’
’Neverfear，’saidtheglutton。’Itwillscarcelybeenoughforme，I’msohungry。’
SowhenthecourtierarrivedwiththeroyalmessagehewastoldtotakebackwordtotheKingthathisordersshouldbeobeyed。
Thentwelveroastedoxenandtwelvetonsofbreadwerebroughtalongsideoftheship，andatonesittingthegluttonhaddevoureditall。
’Icallthatasmallmeal，’hesaid。’Iwishthey’dbroughtmesomemore。’
Next，theKingorderedthatfortycasksofwine，containingfortygallonseach，weretobedrunkuponthespotbytheSimpletonandhisparty。Whenthesewordswereoverheardbythesharp-earedcomradeandrepeatedtotheSimpleton，hewasindespair。
’Alas，alas！’heexclaimed；’whatistobedone？Itwouldtakeusayear，possiblyourwholelives，todrinksomuch，’
’Neverfear，’saidhisthirstycomrade。’I’lldrinkitallupatagulp，seeifIdon’t。’Andsureenough，whenthefortycasksofwinecontainingfortygallonseachwerebroughtalongsideoftheship，theydisappeareddownthethirstycomrade’sthroatinnotime；andwhentheywereemptyheremarked:
’Why，I’mstillthirsty。Ishouldhavebeengladoftwomorecasks。’
ThentheKingtookcounselwithhimselfandsentanordertotheSimpletonthathewastohaveabath，inabath-roomattheroyalpalace，andafterthatthebetrothalshouldtakeplace。Nowthebath-roomwasbuiltofiron，andtheKinggaveordersthatitwastobeheatedtosuchapitchthatitwouldsuffocatetheSimpleton。Andsowhenthepoorsillyyouthenteredtheroom，hediscoveredthattheironwallswereredhot。But，fortunately，hiscomradewiththestrawonhisbackhadenteredbehindhim，andwhenthedoorwasshutuponthemhescatteredthestrawabout，andsuddenlythered-hotwallscooleddown，anditbecamesoverycoldthattheSimpletoncouldscarcelybeartotakeabath，andallthewaterintheroomfroze。SotheSimpletonclimbedupuponthestove，and，wrappinghimselfupinthebathblankets，laytherethewholenight。Andinthemorningwhentheyopenedthedoortherehelaysoundandsafe，singingcheerfullytohimself。
NowwhenthisstrangetalewastoldtotheKinghebecamequitesad，notknowingwhatheshoulddotogetridofsoundesirableason-in-law，whensuddenlyabrilliantideaoccurredtohim。
’Telltherascaltoraisemeanarmy，nowatthisinstant！’heexclaimedtooneofhiscourtiers。’Informhimatonceofthis，myroyalwill。’Andtohimselfheadded，’IthinkIshalldoforhimthistime。’
Asonformeroccasions，thequick-earedcomradehadoverheardtheKing’scommandandrepeatedittotheSimpleton。
’Alas，alas！’hegroaned；’nowIamquitedonefor。’
’Notatall，’repliedoneofhiscomrades(theonewhohaddraggedthebundleofwoodthroughtheforest)。’Haveyouquiteforgottenme？’
Inthemeantimethecourtier，whohadrunallthewayfromthepalace，reachedtheshippantingandbreathless，anddeliveredtheKing’smessage。
’Good！’remarkedtheSimpleton。’IwillraiseanarmyfortheKing，’andhedrewhimselfup。’Butif，afterthat，theKingrefusestoacceptmeashisson-in-law，Iwillwagewaragainsthim，andcarrythePrincessoffbyforce。’
DuringthenighttheSimpletonandhiscomradewent，togetherintoabigfield，notforgettingtotakethebundleofwoodwiththem，whichthemanspreadoutinalldirections——andinamomentamightyarmystooduponthespot，regimentonregimentoffootandhorsesoldiers；thebuglessoundedandthedrumsbeat，thechargersneighed，andtheirridersputtheirlancesinrest，andthesoldierspresentedarms。
InthemorningwhentheKingawokehewasstartledbythesewarlikesounds，thebuglesandthedrums，andtheclatterofthehorses，andtheshoutsofthesoldiers。And，steppingtothewindow，hesawthelancesgleaminthesunlightandthearmourandweaponsglitter。Andtheproudmonarchsaidtohimself，’I
ampowerlessincomparisonwiththisman。’Sohesenthimroyalrobesandcostlyjewels，andcommandedhimtocometothepalacetobemarriedtothePrincess。Andhisson-in-lawputontheroyalrobes，andhelookedsograndandstatelythatitwasimpossibletorecognisethepoorSimpleton，sochangedwashe；
andthePrincessfellinlovewithhimassoonasevershesawhim。
Neverbeforehadsograndaweddingbeenseen，andtherewassomuchfoodandwinethateventhegluttonandthethirstycomradehadenoughtoeatanddrink。
FromtheBukowinaerTalesandLegends。VonWliolocki。
Therewasonceuponatimeamanandhiswife，andtheyhadnochildren，whichwasagreatgrieftothem。Onewinter’sday，whenthesunwasshiningbrightly，thecouplewerestandingoutsidetheircottage，andthewomanwaslookingatallthelittleicicleswhichhungfromtheroof。Shesighed，andturningtoherhusbandsaid，’IwishIhadasmanychildrenasthereareicicleshangingthere。’’Nothingwouldpleasememoreeither，’
repliedherhusband。Thenatinyicicledetacheditselffromtheroof，anddroppedintothewoman’smouth，whoswalloweditwithasmile，andsaid，’PerhapsIshallgivebirthtoasnowchildnow！’Herhusbandlaughedathiswife’sstrangeidea，andtheywentbackintothehouse。
Butafterashorttimethewomangavebirthtoalittlegirl，whowasaswhiteassnowandascoldasice。Iftheybroughtthechildanywherenearthefire，itscreamedloudlytilltheyputitbackintosomecoolplace。Thelittlemaidthrovewonderfully，andinafewmonthsshecouldrunaboutandspeak。Butshewasnotaltogethereasytobringup，andgaveherparentsmuchtroubleandanxiety，forallsummersheinsistedonspendinginthecellar，andinthewintershewouldsleepoutsideinthesnow，andthecolderitwasthehappiersheseemedtobe。Herfatherandmothercalledhersimply’OurSnow-daughter，’andthisnamestucktoherallherlife。
Onedayherparentssatbythefire，talkingovertheextraordinarybehaviouroftheirdaughter，whowasdisportingherselfinthesnowstormthatragedoutside。Thewomansigheddeeplyandsaid，’IwishIhadgivenbirthtoaFire-son！’Asshesaidthesewords，asparkfromthebigwoodfireflewintothewoman’slap，andshesaidwithalaugh，’NowperhapsIshallgivebirthtoaFire-son！’Themanlaughedathiswife’swords，andthoughtitwasagoodjoke。Butheceasedtothinkitajokewhenhiswifeshortlyafterwardsgavebirthtoaboy，whoscreamedlustilytillhewasputquiteclosetothefire，andwhonearlyyelledhimselfintoafitiftheSnow-daughtercameanywherenearhim。TheSnow-daughterherselfavoidedhimasmuchasshecould，andalwayscreptintoacornerasfarawayfromhimaspossible。Theparentscalledtheboysimply’OurFire-son，’anamewhichstucktohimallhislife。Theyhadagreatdealoftroubleandworrywithhimtoo；buthethroveandgrewveryquickly，andbeforehewasayearoldhecouldrunaboutandtalk。Hewasasredasfire，andashottotouch，andhealwayssatonthehearthquiteclosetothefire，andcomplainedofthecold；ifhissisterwereintheroomhealmostcreptintotheflames，whilethegirlonherpartalwayscomplainedofthegreatheatifherbrotherwereanywherenear。Insummertheboyalwayslayoutinthesun，whilethegirlhidherselfinthecellar:soithappenedthatthebrotherandsistercameverylittleintocontactwitheachother——infact，theycarefullyavoidedit。
Justasthegirlgrewupintoabeautifulwoman，herfatherandmotherbothdiedoneaftertheother。ThentheFire-son，whohadgrownupinthemeantimeintoafine，strongyoungman，saidtohissister，’Iamgoingoutintotheworld，forwhatistheuseofremainingonhere？’
’Ishallgowithyou，’sheanswered，’for，exceptyou，Ihavenooneintheworld，andIhaveafeelingthatifwesetouttogetherweshallbelucky。’
TheFire-sonsaid，’Iloveyouwithallmyheart，butatthesametimeIalwaysfreezeifyouarenearme，andyounearlydieofheatifIapproachyou！Howshallwetravelabouttogetherwithoutbeingodioustheonetotheother？’
’Don’tworryaboutthat，’repliedthegirl，’forI’vethoughtitallover，andhavesettledonaplanwhichwillmakeuseachabletobearwiththeother！See，Ihavehadafurcloakmadeforeachofus，andifweputthemonIshallnotfeeltheheatsomuchnoryouthecold。’Sotheyputonthefurcloaks，andsetoutcheerfullyontheirway，andforthefirsttimeintheirlivesquitehappyineachother’scompany。
