d building of
this castle which was to outshine all others. Now the wife had advised
them to be intimate with the servants, and so they did as she said, and
it was "Good-morning" and "Good-day to you" as they passed in and out.

Now, at the end of a twelvemonth, Gobborn, the wise man, had built such
a castle thousands were gathered to admire it.

And the king said: "The castle is done. I shall return to-morrow and pay
you all."

"I have just a ceiling to finish in an upper lobby," said Gobborn, "and
then it wants nothing."

But after the king was gone off, the housekeeper sent for Gobborn and
Jack, and told them that she had watched for a chance to warn them, for
the king was so afraid they should carry their art away and build some
other king as fine a castle, he meant to take their lives on the morrow.
Gobborn told Jack to keep a good heart, and they would come off all
right.

When the king had come back Gobborn told him he had been unable to
complete the job for lack of a tool left at home, and he should like to
send Jack after it.

"No, no," said the king, "cannot one of the men do the errand?"

"No, they could not make themselves understood," said the Seer, "but
Jack could do the errand."

"You and your son are to stop here. But how will it do if I send my own
son?"

"That will do."

So Gobborn sent by him a message to Jack's wife. "Give him _Crooked and
Straight_!"

Now there was a little hole in the wall rather high up, and Jack's wife
tried to reach up into a chest there after "crooked and straight," but
at last she asked the king's son to help her, because his arms were
longest.

But when he was leaning over the chest she caught him by the two heels,
and threw him into the chest, and fastened it down. So there he was,
both "crooked and straight!"

Then he begged for pen and ink, which she brought him, but he was not
allowed out, and holes were bored that he might breathe.

When his letter came, telling the king, his father, he was to be let
free when Gobborn and Jack were safe home, the king saw he must settle
for the building, and let them come away.

As they left Gobborn told him: Now that Jack was done with this work, he
should soon build a castle for his witty wife far superior to the
king's, which he did, and they lived there happily ever after.

Lawkamercyme

There was an old woman, as I've heard tell.
She went to the market her eggs for to sell;
She went to t