The next morning the King said, “Thou hast indeed
watched well, but I cannot give thee my daughter now; I have a great
forest, if thou cuttest it down for me between six o’clock this morning
and six at night, I will think about it.” Then he gave him a glass axe,
a glass wedge, and a glass mallet. When he got into the wood, he began
at once to cut, but the axe broke in two, then he took the wedge, and
struck it once with the mallet, and it became as short and as small as
sand. Then he was much troubled and believed he would have to die, and
sat down and wept. Now when it was noon the King said, “One of you girls must take him
something to eat.” “No,” said the two eldest, “We will not take it to
him; the one by whom he last watched, can take him something.” Then the
youngest was forced to go and take him something to eat. When she got
into the forest, she asked him how he was getting on? “Oh,” said he, “I
am getting on very badly.” Then she said he was to come and just eat a
little. “Nay,” said he, “I cannot do that, I shall still have to die,
so I will eat no more.” Then she spoke so kindly to him and begged him
just to try, that he came and ate something. When he had eaten
something she said, “I will comb thy hair a while, and then thou wilt
feel happier.”

So she combed his hair, and he became weary and fell asleep, and then
she took her handkerchief and made a knot in it, and struck it three
times on the earth, and said, “Earth-workers, come forth.” In a moment,
numbers of little earth-men came forth, and asked what the King’s
daughter commanded? Then said she, “In three hours’ time the great
forest must be cut down, and the whole of the wood laid in heaps.” So
the little earth-men went about and got together the whole of their
kindred to help them with the work. They began at once, and when the
three hours were over, all was done, and they came back to the King’s
daughter and told her so. Then she took her white handkerchief again
and said, “Earth-workers, go home.” On this they all disappeared. When
the King’s son awoke, he was delighted, and she said, “Come home when
it has struck six o’clock.” He did as she told him, and then the King
asked, “Hast thou made away with the forest?” “Yes,” said the King’s
son. When they were sitting at table, the King said, “I cannot yet give
thee my daughter to wife, thou must still do something more for her
sake.” So he asked what it was to be, then? “I have a great fish-pond,”
said the King. “Thou must go to it to-morrow morning and clear it of
all mud until it is as bright as a mirror, and fill it with every kind
of fish.” The next morning the King gave him a glass shovel and said,
“The fish-pond must be done by six o’clock.” So he went away, and when
he came to the fish-pond he stuck his shovel in the mud and it broke in
two, then he stuck his hoe in the mud, and broke it also. Then he was
much troubled. At noon the youngest daughter brought him something to
eat, and asked him how he was getting on? So the King’s son said
everything was going very ill with him, and he would certainly have to
lose his head. “My tools have broken to pieces again.” “Oh,” said she,
“thou must just come and eat something, and then thou wilt be in
another frame of mind.” “No,” said he, “I cannot eat, I am far too
unhappy for that!” Then she gave him many good words until at last he
came and ate something. Then she combed his hair again, and he fell
asleep, so once more she took her handkerchief, tied a knot in it, and
struck the ground thrice with the knot, and said, “Earth-workers, come
forth.” In a moment a great many little earth-men came and asked what
she desired, and she told them that in three hours’ time, they must
have the fish-pond entirely cleaned out, and it must be so clear that
people could see themselves reflected in it, and every kind of fish
must be in it. The little earth-men went away and summoned all their
kindred to help them, and in two hours it was done. Then they returned
to her and said, “We have done as thou hast commanded.” The King’s
daughter took the handkerchief and once more struck thrice on the
ground with it, and said, “Earth-workers, go home again.” Then they all
went away. When the King’s son awoke the fish-pond was done. Then the King’s
daughter went away also, and told him that when it was six he was to
come to the house. When he arrived at the house the King asked, “Hast
thou got the fish-pond done?” “Yes,” said the King’s son. That was very
good. When they were again sitting at table the King said, “Thou hast
certainly done the fish-pond, but I cannot give thee my daughter yet;
thou must just do one thing more.” “What is that, then?” asked the
King’s son. The King said he had a great mountain on which there was
nothing but briars which must all be cut down, and at the top of it the
youth must build up a great castle, which must be as strong as could be
conceived, and all the furniture and fittings belonging to a castle
must be inside it. And when he arose next morning the King gave him a
glass axe and a glass gimlet with him, and he was to have all done by
six o’clock. As he was cutting down the first briar with the axe, it
broke off short, and so small that the pieces flew all round about, and
he could not use the gimlet either. Then he was quite miserable, and
waited for his dearest to see if she would not come and help him in his
need. When it was mid-day she came and brought him something to eat. He
went to meet her and told her all, and ate something, and let her comb
his hair and fell asleep. Then she once more took the knot and struck
the earth with it, and said, “Earth-workers, come forth!” Then came
once again numbers of earth-men, and asked what her desire was. Then
said she, “In the space of three hours they must cut down the whole of
the briars, and a castle must be built on the top of the mountain that
must be as strong as any one could conceive, and all the furniture that
pertains to a castle must be inside it.” They went away, and summoned
their kindred to help them and when the time was come, all was ready. Then they came to the King’s daughter and told her so, and the King’s
daughter took her handkerchief and struck thrice on the earth with it,
and said, “Earth-workers, go home,” on which they all disappeared. When
therefore the King’s son awoke and saw everything done, he was as happy
as a bird in air. When it had struck six, they went home together. Then said the King,
“Is the castle ready?” “Yes,” said the King’s son. When they sat down
to table, the King said, “I cannot give away my youngest daughter until
the two eldest are married.” Then the King’s son and the King’s
daughter were quite troubled, and the King’s son had no idea what to
do. But he went by night to the King’s daughter and ran away with her. When they had got a little distance away, the King’s daughter peeped
round and saw her father behind her. “Oh,” said she, “what are we to
do?