se that seemed at that moment to have sprung
out of the ground.

During the night while Plavachek was asleep, the old woman took the
letter out of his pocket and put in another that read as follows:

"Have the young man who delivers this letter married to our daughter
at once. He is my destined son-in-law. Let the wedding take place
before I return. Such is my will."

The next day Plavachek delivered the letter and as soon as the queen
read it, she gave orders at once for the wedding. Both she and her
daughter were much taken with the handsome youth and gazed at him with
tender eyes. As for Plavachek he fell instantly in love with the
princess and was delighted to marry her.

Some days after the wedding the king returned and when he heard what
had happened he flew into a violent rage at the queen.

"But," protested the queen, "you yourself ordered me to have him
married to our daughter before you came back. Here is your letter."

The king took the letter and examined it carefully. The handwriting,
the seal, the paper--all were his own.

He called his son-in-law and questioned him.

Plavachek related how he had lost his way in the forest and spent the
night with his godmother.

"What does your godmother look like?" the king asked.

Plavachek described her.

From the description the king recognized her as the same old woman who
had promised the princess to the charcoal-burner's son twenty years
before.

He looked at Plavachek thoughtfully and at last he said:

"What's done can't be undone. However, young man, you can't expect to
be my son-in-law for nothing. If you want my daughter you must bring
me for dowry three of the golden hairs of old Grandfather Knowitall."

He thought to himself that this would be an impossible task and so
would be a good way to get rid of an undesirable son-in-law.

Plavachek took leave of his bride and started off. He didn't know
which way to go. Who would know? Everybody talked about old
Grandfather Knowitall, but nobody seemed to know where to find him.
Yet Plavachek had a Fate for a godmother, so it wasn't likely that he
would miss the right road.

He traveled long and far, going over wooded hills and desert plains
and crossing deep rivers. He came at last to a black sea.

There he saw a boat and an old ferryman.

"God bless you, old ferryman!" he said.

"May God grant that prayer, young traveler! Where are you going?"

"I'm going to old Grandfather Knowitall to get