young
one and said:

"Maiden green and small,
Shrunken old crone,
Crone's little dog,
Crone here and there,
Fetch here the big box."

The young toad brought the box and the fat toad opened it and gave
Simpleton a carpet from it, so beautiful and so fine as up above on the
earth could not have been woven. Then he thanked her and climbed up again.

The two others had, however, considered their youngest brother so
weak-minded that they believed that he would not find and bring anything
back. "Why should we take so much trouble," said they, and took from the
back of the first shepherd's wife that met them her coarse shawl and
carried it home to the king. At the same time Simpleton returned and
brought his beautiful carpet, and when the king saw it he was astonished
and said: "If justice must be done, the kingdom belongs to the youngest."

But the two others gave their father no peace, and said that it was
impossible that Simpleton, who lacked understanding in all things, could
be a king, and begged him to make a new condition. Then the father said,
"The one that brings me the most beautiful ring shall be king," led the
three brothers out and blew three feathers into the air for them to
follow. The two oldest again went east and west, and Simpleton's feather
flew straight ahead and fell down near the door in the earth. So he went
down again to the fat toad and told her that he needed the most beautiful
ring. She immediately had her big box fetched and from it gave him a ring
that glittered with jewels and was more beautiful than any goldsmith upon
the earth could have made. The two eldest laughed about Simpleton, who was
going to look for a gold ring, but they took no trouble, and knocked the
pin out of an old wagon ring and brought the ring to the king. But when
Simpleton showed his gold ring the father again said, "The kingdom belongs
to him." The two eldest did not cease importuning the king till he made a
third condition and declared that the kingdom should go to the one that
brought home the fairest woman. Again he blew the three feathers into the
air and they flew as before.

So Simpleton without more ado went down to the fat toad and said, "I have
to take home the fairest woman." "The fairest woman, hey? She is not right
here, but none the less you shall have her." She gave him a hollowed out
carrot to which were harnessed six little mice. Then Simpleton sadly said,
"What shall I do with