The Flying Ship(24) · page 21 2101Once more the sharp-eared comrade overheard the King’s words while he was still talking to the courtier, and reported them to the Simpleton.102‘Alas, alas!’ he sighed; ‘what in the world shall I do?103Why, it would take us a year, possibly our whole lives, to eat up twelve oxen and twelve tons of bread.’104‘Never fear,’ said the glutton.105‘It will scarcely be enough for me, I’m so hungry.’106So when the courtier arrived with the royal message he was told to take back word to the King that his orders should be obeyed.107Then twelve roasted oxen and twelve tons of bread were brought alongside of the ship, and at one sitting the glutton had devoured it all.108‘I call that a small meal,’ he said.checked by a teacher109‘I wish they’d brought me some more.’110Next, the King ordered that forty casks of wine, containing forty gallons each, were to be drunk up on the spot by the Simpleton and his party.111When these words were overheard by the sharp-eared comrade and repeated to the Simpleton, he was in despair.112‘Alas, alas!’ he exclaimed; ‘what is to be done?113It would take us a year, possibly our whole lives, to drink so much.’114‘Never fear,’ said his thirsty comrade.115‘I’ll drink it all up at a gulp, see if I don’t.’116And sure enough, when the forty casks of wine containing forty gallons each were brought alongside of the ship, they disappeared down the thirsty comrade’s throat in no time; and when they were empty he remarked:117‘Why, I’m still thirsty.118I should have been glad of two more casks.’119Then the King took counsel with himself and sent an order to the Simpleton that he was to have a bath, in a bath-room at the royal palace, and after that the betrothal should take place.120Now the bath-room was built of iron, and the King gave orders that it was to be heated to such a pitch that it would suffocate the Simpleton.121And so when the poor silly youth entered the room, he discovered that the iron walls were red hot.122But, fortunately, his comrade with the straw on his back had entered behind him, and when the door was shut upon them he scattered the straw about, and suddenly the red-hot walls cooled down, and it became so very cold that the Simpleton could scarcely bear to take a bath, and all the water in the room froze.123So the Simpleton climbed up upon the stove, and, wrapping himself up in the bath blankets, lay there the whole night.124And in the morning when they opened the door there he lay sound and safe, singing cheerfully to himself.125Now when this strange tale was told to the King he became quite sad, not knowing what he should do to get rid of so undesirable a son-in-law, when suddenly a brilliant idea occurred to him.126‘Tell the rascal to raise me an army, now at this instant!’ he exclaimed to one of his courtiers.127‘Inform him at once of this, my royal will.’128And to himself he added, ‘I think I shall do for him this time.’129As on former occasions, the quick-eared comrade had overheard the King’s command and repeated it to the Simpleton.130‘Alas, alas!’ he groaned; ‘now I am quite done for.’131‘Not at all,’ replied one of his comrades (the one who had dragged the bundle of wood through the forest).132‘Have you quite forgotten me?’133In the meantime the courtier, who had run all the way from the palace, reached the ship panting and breathless, and delivered the King’s message.134‘Good!’ remarked the Simpleton.135‘I will raise an army for the King,’ and he drew himself up.136‘But if, after that, the King refuses to accept me as his son-in-law, I will wage war against him, and carry the Princess off by force.’137During the night the Simpleton and his comrade went, together into a big field, not forgetting to take the bundle of wood with them, which the man spread out in all directions--and in a moment a mighty army stood upon the spot, regiment on regiment of foot and horse soldiers; the bugles sounded and the drums beat, the chargers neighed, and their riders put their lances in rest, and the soldiers presented arms.138In the morning when the King awoke he was startled by these warlike sounds, the bugles and the drums, and the clatter of the horses, and the shouts of the soldiers.139And, stepping to the window, he saw the lances gleam in the sunlight and the armour and weapons glitter.140And the proud monarch said to himself, ‘I am powerless in comparison with this man.’141So he sent him royal robes and costly jewels, and commanded him to come to the palace to be married to the Princess.142And his son-in-law put on the royal robes, and he looked so grand and stately that it was impossible to recognise the poor Simpleton, so changed was he; and the Princess fell in love with him as soon as ever she saw him.143Never before had so grand a wedding been seen, and there was so much food and wine that even the glutton and the thirsty comrade had enough to eat and drink.1 2← previousThe Flower Queen’s Daughter(23)next →The Snow-daughter and the Fire-son(25)↑ back to The Yellow Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg640/35/page/2/