Sointheeveningheappearedattheballinhisgoldencloak；
　　butbeforetheentertainmentwasoverheslippedaway，andwentstraighttothestables，wherehemountedhisfoalandrodeoutintothemeadowtowaitfortheFlowerQueen’sdaughter。Towardsmidnightthebeautifulgirlappeared，andplacingherinfrontofhimonhishorse，thePrinceandsheflewlikethewindtilltheyreachedtheFlowerQueen’sdwelling。Butthedragonshadnoticedtheirflight，andwoketheirbrotheroutofhisyear’ssleep。Heflewintoaterribleragewhenheheardwhathadhappened，anddeterminedtolaysiegetotheFlowerQueen’spalace；buttheQueencausedaforestofflowersashighastheskytogrowuproundherdwelling，throughwhichnoonecouldforceaway。
　　WhentheFlowerQueenheardthatherdaughterwantedtomarrythePrince，shesaidtohim:’Iwillgivemyconsenttoyourmarriagegladly，butmydaughtercanonlystaywithyouinsummer。Inwinter，wheneverythingisdeadandthegroundcoveredwithsnow，shemustcomeandlivewithmeinmypalaceunderground。’ThePrinceconsentedtothis，andledhisbeautifulbridehome，wheretheweddingwasheldwithgreatpompandmagnificence。Theyoungcouplelivedhappilytogethertillwintercame，whentheFlowerQueen’sdaughterdepartedandwenthometohermother。Insummershereturnedtoherhusband，andtheirlifeofjoyandhappinessbeganagain，andlastedtilltheapproachofwinter，whentheFlowerQueen’sdaughterwentbackagaintohermother。Thiscomingandgoingcontinuedallherlifelong，andinspiteofittheyalwayslivedhappilytogether。
　　FromtheRussian。
　　Onceuponatimetherelivedanoldcouplewhohadthreesons；
　　thetwoelderwereclever，butthethirdwasaregulardunce。
　　Thecleversonswereveryfondoftheirmother，gavehergoodclothes，andalwaysspokepleasantlytoher；buttheyoungestwasalwaysgettinginherway，andshehadnopatiencewithhim。
　　Now，onedayitwasannouncedinthevillagethattheKinghadissuedadecree，offeringhisdaughter，thePrincess，inmarriagetowhoevershouldbuildashipthatcouldfly。Immediatelythetwoelderbrothersdeterminedtotrytheirluck，andaskedtheirparents’blessing。Sotheoldmothersmarteneduptheirclothes，andgavethemastoreofprovisionsfortheirjourney，notforgettingtoaddabottleofbrandy。WhentheyhadgonethepoorSimpletonbegantoteasehismothertosmartenhimupandlethimstartoff。
　　’Whatwouldbecomeofadoltlikeyou？’sheanswered。’Why，youwouldbeeatenupbywolves。’
　　Butthefoolishyouthkeptrepeating，’Iwillgo，Iwillgo，I
　　willgo！’
　　Seeingthatshecoulddonothingwithhim，themothergavehimacrustofbreadandabottleofwater，andtooknofurtherheedofhim。
　　SotheSimpletonsetoffonhisway。Whenhehadgoneashortdistancehemetalittleoldmanikin。Theygreetedoneanother，andthemanikinaskedhimwherehewasgoing。
　　’IamofftotheKing’sCourt，’heanswered。’Hehaspromisedtogivehisdaughtertowhoevercanmakeaflyingship。’
　　’Andcanyoumakesuchaship？’
　　’NotI。’
　　’Thenwhyintheworldareyougoing？’
　　’Can’ttell，’repliedtheSimpleton。
　　’Well，ifthatisthecase，’saidthemanikin，’sitdownbesideme；wecanrestforalittleandhavesomethingtoeat。Givemewhatyouhavegotinyoursatchel。’
　　Now，thepoorSimpletonwasashamedtoshowwhatwasinit。
　　However，hethoughtitbestnottomakeafuss，soheopenedthesatchel，andcouldscarcelybelievehisowneyes，for，insteadofthehardcrust，hesawtwobeautifulfreshrollsandsomecoldmeat。Hesharedthemwiththemanikin，wholickedhislipsandsaid:
　　’Now，gointothatwood，andstopinfrontofthefirsttree，bowthreetimes，andthenstrikethetreewithyouraxe，fallonyourkneesontheground，withyourfaceontheearth，andremaintheretillyouareraisedup。Youwillthenfindashipatyourside，stepintoitandflytotheKing’sPalace。Ifyoumeetanyoneontheway，takehimwithyou。’
　　TheSimpletonthankedthemanikinverykindly，badehimfarewell，andwentintotheroad。Whenhegottothefirsttreehestoppedinfrontofit，dideverythingjustashehadbeentold，and，kneelingonthegroundwithhisfacetotheearth，fellasleep。
　　Afteralittletimehewasaroused；heawokeand，rubbinghiseyes，sawaready-madeshipathisside，andatoncegotintoit。
　　Andtheshiproseandrose，andinanotherminutewasflyingthroughtheair，whentheSimpleton，whowasonthelookout，casthiseyesdowntotheearthandsawamanbeneathhimontheroad，whowaskneelingwithhisearuponthedampground。
　　’Hallo！’hecalledout，’whatareyoudoingdownthere？’
　　’Iamlisteningtowhatisgoingonintheworld，’repliedtheman。
　　’Comewithmeinmyship，’saidtheSimpleton。
　　Sothemanwasonlytooglad，andgotinbesidehim；andtheshipflew，andflew，andflewthroughtheair，tillagainfromhisoutlooktheSimpletonsawamanontheroadbelow，whowashoppingononeleg，whilehisotherlegwastiedupbehindhisear。Sohehailedhim，callingout:
　　’Hallo！whatareyoudoing，hoppingononeleg？’
　　’Ican’thelpit，’repliedtheman。’IwalksofastthatunlessItieduponelegIshouldbeattheendoftheearthinabound。’
　　’Comewithusonmyship，’heanswered；andthemanmadenoobjections，butjoinedthem；andtheshipflewon，andon，andon，tillsuddenlytheSimpleton，lookingdownontheroadbelow，beheldamanaimingwithagunintothedistance。
　　’Hallo！’heshoutedtohim，’whatareyouaimingat？Asfaraseyecansee，thereisnobirdinsight。’
　　’Whatwouldbethegoodofmytakinganearshot？’repliedtheman；’Icanhitbeastorbirdatahundredmiles’distance。ThatisthekindofshotIenjoy。’
　　’Comeintotheshipwithus，’answeredtheSimpleton；andthemanwasonlytoogladtojointhem，andhegotin；andtheshipflewon，fartherandfarther，tillagaintheSimpletonfromhisoutlooksawamanontheroadbelow，carryingonhisbackabasketfullofbread。Andhewavedtohim，callingout:
　　’Hallo！whereareyougoing？’
　　’Tofetchbreadformybreakfast。’
　　’Bread？Why，youhavegotawholebasket-loadofitonyourback。’
　　’That’snothing，’answeredtheman；’Ishouldfinishthatinonemouthful。’
　　’Comealongwithusinmyship，then。’
　　Andsothegluttonjoinedtheparty，andtheshipmountedagainintotheair，andflewupandonward，tilltheSimpletonfromhisoutlooksawamanwalkingbytheshoreofagreatlake，andevidentlylookingforsomething。
　　’Hallo！’hecriedtohim，’whatareyouseeking？
　　’Iwantwatertodrink，I’msothirsty，’repliedtheman。
　　’Well，there’sawholelakeinfrontofyou；whydon’tyoudrinksomeofthat？’
　　’Doyoucallthatenough？’answeredtheother。’Why，Ishoulddrinkitupinonegulp。’
　　’Well，comewithusintheship。’
　　Andsothemightydrinkerwasaddedtothecompany；andtheshipflewfarther，andevenfarther，tillagaintheSimpletonlookedout，andthistimehesawamandraggingabundleofwood，walkingthroughtheforestbeneaththem。
　　’Hallo！’heshoutedtohim，’whyareyoucarryingwoodthroughaforest？’
　　’Thisisnotcommonwood，’answeredtheother。
　　’Whatsortofwoodisit，then？’saidtheSimpleton。
　　’Ifyouthrowitupontheground，’saidtheman，’itwillbechangedintoanarmyofsoldiers。’
　　’Comeintotheshipwithus，then。’
　　Andsohetoojoinedthem；andawaytheshipflewon，andon，andon，andoncemoretheSimpletonlookedout，andthistimehesawamancarryingstrawuponhisback。
　　’Hallo！Whereareyoucarryingthatstrawto？’
　　’Tothevillage，’saidtheman。
　　’Doyoumeantosaythereisnostrawinthevillage？’
　　’Ah！butthisisquiteapeculiarstraw。Ifyoustrewitabouteveninthehottestsummertheairatoncebecomescold，andsnowfalls，andthepeoplefreeze。’
　　ThentheSimpletonaskedhimalsotojointhem。
　　Atlasttheship，withitsstrangecrew，arrivedattheKing’sCourt。TheKingwashavinghisdinner，butheatoncedespatchedoneofhiscourtierstofindoutwhatthehuge，strangenewbirdcouldbethathadcomeflyingthroughtheair。Thecourtierpeepedintotheship，and，seeingwhatitwas，instantlywentbacktotheKingandtoldhimthatitwasaflyingship，andthatitwasmannedbyafewpeasants。
　　ThentheKingrememberedhisroyaloath；buthemadeuphismindthathewouldneverconsenttoletthePrincessmarryapoorpeasant。Sohethoughtandthought，andthensaidtohimself:
　　’Iwillgivehimsomeimpossibletaskstoperform；thatwillbethebestwayofgettingridofhim。’AndhethereandthendecidedtodespatchoneofhiscourtierstotheSimpleton，withthecommandthathewastofetchtheKingthehealingwaterfromtheworld’sendbeforehehadfinishedhisdinner。
　　ButwhiletheKingwasstillinstructingthecourtierexactlywhathewastosay，thefirstmanoftheship’scompany，theonewiththemiraculouspowerofhearing，hadoverheardtheKing’swords，andhastilyreportedthemtothepoorSimpleton。
　　’Alas，alas！’hecried；’whatamItodonow？Itwouldtakemequiteayear，possiblymywholelife，tofindthewater。’
　　’Neverfear，’saidhisfleet-footedcomrade，’IwillfetchwhattheKingwants。’
　　Justthenthecourtierarrived，bearingtheKing’scommand。