palace, and after that the betrothal should take place. Now 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. And so
when the poor silly youth entered the room, he discovered that the iron
walls were red hot. But, 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. So the Simpleton
climbed up upon the stove, and, wrapping himself up in the bath
blankets, lay there the whole night. And in the morning when they opened
the door there he lay sound and safe, singing cheerfully to himself.

Now 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.

'Tell the rascal to raise me an army, now at this instant!' he exclaimed
to one of his courtiers. 'Inform him at once of this, my royal will.'
And to himself he added, 'I think I shall do for him this time.'

As on former occasions, the quick-eared comrade had overheard the King's
command and repeated it to the Simpleton.

'Alas, alas!' he groaned; 'now I am quite done for.'

'Not at all,' replied one of his comrades (the one who had dragged the
bundle of wood through the forest). 'Have you quite forgotten me?'

In 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.

'Good!' remarked the Simpleton. 'I will raise an army for the King,' and
he drew himself up. '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.'

During 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.

In the morning when the King awoke he was startled by these warlike
sounds, the bugles and the drums, and the clatter of