’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，’repliedoneofhiscomradestheonewhohaddraggedthebundleofwoodthroughtheforest。’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。