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。’