Then said the king, who can that strong fellow be who is carrying a bundle of linen on his back that is as big as a house. And he was alarmed and said, what a lot of gold he can carry away. Then he commanded a ton of gold to be brought, which took sixteen of his strongest men to carry, but the strong one snatched it up in one hand, put it in his sack, and said, why don't you bring more at the same time. That hardly covers the bottom. Then, little by little, the king caused all his treasure to be brought thither, and the strong one pushed it into the sack, and still the sack was not half full with it. Bring more, cried he, these few crumbs don't fill it.
Then seven thousand carts with gold had to be gathered together in the whole kingdom, and the strong one thrust them and the oxen harnessed to them into his sack. I will examine it no longer, said he, but will just take what comes, so long as the sack is but full.
When all that was inside, there was still room for a great deal more.
Then he said, I will just make an end of the thing. People do sometimes tie up a sack even when it is not full. So he took it on his back, and went away with his comrades. When the king now saw how one single man was carrying away the entire wealth of the country, he became enraged, and bade his horsemen mount and pursue the six, and ordered them to take the sack away from the strong one. Two regiments speedily overtook the six, and called out, you are prisoners, put down the sack with the gold, or you will be cut to pieces. What say you, cried the blower, that we are prisoners.
Rather than that should happen, all of you shall dance about in the air. And he closed one nostril, and with the other blew on the two regiments. Then they were driven away from each other, and carried into the blue sky over all the mountains, one here, the other there.
One sergeant cried for mercy. He had nine wounds, and was a brave fellow who did not deserve ill treatment.
The blower stopped a little so that he came down without injury, and then the blower said to him. Now go home to your king, and tell him he had better send some more horsemen, and I will blow them all into the air. When the king was informed of this he said, let the rascals go. There is magic in them. Then the six conveyed the riches home, divided it amongst them, and lived in content until their death.
The she-wolf brought into the world a young one, and invited the fox to be godfather. After all, he is a near relative of ours, said she, he has a good understanding, and much talent, he can instruct my little son, and help him forward in the world. The fox, too, appeared quite honest, and said, worthy mrs. Gossip, I thank you for the honor which you are doing me, I will, however, conduct myself in such a way that you shall be repaid for it. He enjoyed himself at the feast, and made merry, afterwards he said, dear mrs. Gossip, it is our duty to take care of the child, it must have good food that it may be strong. I know a sheep-fold from which we might fetch a nice morsel. The wolf was pleased with the idea, and she went out with the fox to the farmyard. He pointed out the fold from afar, and said, you will be able to creep in there without being seen, and in the meantime I will look about on the other side to see if I can pick up a chicken. He, however, did not go there, but sat down at the entrance to the forest, stretched his legs and rested.
The she-wolf crept into the stable. A dog was lying there, and it made such a noise that the peasants came running out, caught gossip wolf, and poured a strong burning mixture, which had been prepared for washing, over her skin. At last she escaped, and dragged herself outside. There lay the fox, who pretended to be full of complaints, and said, ah, dear mrs. Gossip, how ill I have fared, the peasants have fallen on me, and have broken every limb I have, if you do not want me to lie where I am and perish, you must carry me away. The she-wolf herself was only able to walk slowly, but she was in such concern about the fox that she took him on her back, and slowly carried him who was perfectly safe and sound to her house. Then the fox cried to her, farewell, dear mrs. Gossip, may the roasting you have had do you good, laughed heartily at her, and bounded off.
There was once upon a time a queen to whom God had given no children.
Every morning she went into the garden and prayed to God in heaven to bestow on her a son or a daughter. Then an angel from heaven came to her and said, be at rest, you shall have a son with the power of wishing, so that whatsoever in the world he wishes for, that shall he have. Then she went to the king, and told him the joyful tidings, and when the time was come she gave birth to a son, and the king was filled with gladness.
Every morning she went with the child to the garden where the wild beasts were kept, and washed herself there in a clear stream. It happened once when the child was a little older, that it was lying in her arms and she fell asleep. Then came the old cook, who knew that the child had the power of wishing, and stole it away, and he took a hen, and cut it in pieces, and dropped some of its blood on the queen's apron and on her dress. Then he carried the child away to a secret place, where a nurse was obliged to suckle it, and he ran to the king and accused the queen of having allowed her child to be taken from her by the wild beasts. When the king saw the blood on her apron, he believed this, fell into such a passion that he ordered a high tower to be built, in which neither sun nor moon could be seen, and had his wife put into it, and walled up. Here she was to stay for seven years without meat or drink, and die of hunger. But God sent two angels from heaven in the shape of white doves, which flew to her twice a day, and carried her food until the seven years were over.
