d he now had to turn the joints on the spit every day. His brothers
despised him for his mean employment, and did not like to have anything
to do with him, although he still loved them. One evening he told them
much of what he had seen in the under-world, where the geese and ducks
had gold and silver plumage. The brothers related this to the king, and
begged him to send their youngest brother to fetch these curious birds.
The king sent for the kitchen-boy, and ordered him to start next morning
in search of the birds with the costly feathers.

Slyboots set out next day with a heavy heart, but he took with him the
ring, the wand, and the sword, which he had carefully preserved. Some
days afterwards he reached the sea, and saw an old man[127] with a long
grey beard sitting on a stone at the place where he had reached land
after his flight. When Slyboots came nearer, the old man asked, "Why are
you so sad, my friend?" Slyboots told him how badly he had fared, and
the old man bid him be of good cheer, and not vex himself, adding, "No
harm can happen to you, as long as you wear the ring of strength." He
then gave Slyboots a mussel-shell,[128] and advised him to build the
bridge with the magic wand to the middle of the sea, and then to step on
the shell with his left foot, when he would immediately find himself in
the under-world, while every one there was asleep. He also advised him
to make himself a bag of spun yarn in which to put the water-birds with
gold and silver plumage, and then he could return unmolested. Everything
fell out as the old man predicted, but Slyboots had hardly reached the
sea-shore with his booty when he heard his former acquaintance behind
him; and when he was on the bridge he heard him calling out, "Nicodemus,
my son," and repeating the same questions as before. At last he asked if
he had stolen the birds? Slyboots answered "Yes" to every question, and
hastened on.

Slyboots arrived at the royal city in the evening, as his friend with
the grey beard had foretold, and the yarn bag held the birds so well
that none had escaped. The king made him a present, and told him to go
back next day, for he had heard from the two elder brothers that the
lord of the under-world had many gold and silver utensils, which the
king desired for his own use. Slyboots did not venture to refuse, but
he went very unwillingly, because he did not know how to manage the
affair. However, when he reached the sea-shore, he met his