Therewasonceuponatimeamanwhounderstoodallsortsofarts；heservedinthewar，andborehimselfbravelyandwell；
butwhenthewarwasover，hegothisdischarge，andsetoutonhistravelswiththreefarthingsofhispayinhispocket。
’Wait，’hesaid；’thatdoesnotpleaseme；onlyletmefindtherightpeople，andtheKingshallyetgivemeallthetreasuresofhiskingdom。’Hestrodeangrilyintotheforest，andtherehesawamanstandingwhohaduprootedsixtreesasiftheywerestraws。Hesaidtohim，’Willyoubemyservantandtravelwithme？’
’Yes，’heanswered；’butfirstofallIwilltakethislittlebundleofstickshometomymother，’andhetookoneofthetreesandwounditroundtheotherfive，raisedthebundleonhisshouldersandboreitoff。Thenhecamebackandwentwithhismaster，whosaid，’Wetwooughttobeabletotravelthroughthewideworld！’Andwhentheyhadgonealittlewaytheycameuponahunter，whowasonhisknees，hisgunonhisshoulder，aimingatsomething。Themastersaidtohim，’Hunter，whatareyouaimingat？’
Heanswered，’Twomilesfromthisplacesitsaflyonabranchofanoak；Iwanttoshootoutitslefteye。’
’Oh，gowithme，’saidtheman；’ifwethreearetogetherweshalleasilytravelthroughthewideworld。’
Thehunteragreedandwentwithhim，andtheycametosevenwindmillswhosesailsweregoingroundquitefast，andyettherewasnotabreathofwind，norwasaleafmoving。Themansaid，’Idon’tknowwhatisturningthosewindmills；thereisnottheslightestbreezeblowing。’Sohewalkedonwithhisservants，andwhentheyhadgonetwomilestheysawamansittingonatree，holdingoneofhisnostrilsandblowingoutoftheother。
’Fellow，whatareyoupuffingatupthere？’askedtheman。
Hereplied，’Twomilesfromthisplacearestandingsevenwindmills；see，Iamblowingtodrivethemround。’
’Oh，gowithme，’saidtheman；’ifwefouraretogetherweshalleasilytravelthroughthewideworld。’
Sotheblowergotdownandwentwithhim，andafteratimetheysawamanwhowasstandingononeleg，andhadunstrappedtheotherandlaiditnearhim。Thensaidthemaster，’Youhavemadeyourselfverycomfortabletorest！’
’Iamarunner，’answeredhe；’andsothatIshallnotgotooquickly，Ihaveunstrappedoneleg；whenIrunwithtwolegs，I
gofasterthanabirdflies。’
’Oh，gowithme；ifwefivearetogether，weshalleasilytravelthroughthewideworld。’Sohewentwithhim，and，notlongafterwards，theymetamanwhoworealittlehat，buthehaditslouchedoveroneear。
’Manners，manners！’saidthemastertohim；’don’thangyourhatoveroneear；youlooklikeamadman！’
’Idarenot，’saidtheother，’forifIweretoputmyhatonstraight，therewouldcomesuchafrostthattheverybirdsintheskywouldfreezeandfalldeadontheearth。’
’Oh，gowithme，’saidthemaster；’ifwesixaretogether，weshalleasilytravelthroughthewideworld。
NowtheSixcametoatowninwhichtheKinghadproclaimedthatwhoevershouldrunwithhisdaughterinarace，andwin，shouldbecomeherhusband；butifhelost，hemustlosehishead。Thiswasreportedtothemanwhodeclaredhewouldcompete，’but，’hesaid，’Ishallletmyservantrunforme。’
TheKingreplied，’Thenbothyourheadsmustbestaked，andyourheadandhismustbeguaranteedforthewinner。’
Whenthiswasagreeduponandsettled，themanstrappedontherunner’sotherleg，sayingtohim，’Nowbenimble，andseethatwewin！’Itwasarrangedthatwhoevershouldfirstbringwateroutofastreamalongwayoff，shouldbethevictor。Thentherunnergotapitcher，andtheKing’sdaughteranother，andtheybegantorunatthesametime；butinamoment，whentheKing’sdaughterwasonlyjustalittlewayoff，nospectatorcouldseetherunner，anditseemedasifthewindhadwhistledpast。Inashorttimehereachedthestream，filledhispitcherwithwater，andturnedroundagain。But，halfwayhome，agreatdrowsinesscameoverhim；heputdownhispitcher，laydown，andfellasleep。Hehad，however，putahorse’sskullwhichwaslyingontheground，forhispillow，sothatheshouldnotbetoocomfortableandmightsoonwakeup。
InthemeantimetheKing’sdaughter，whocouldalsorunwell，aswellasanordinarymancould，reachedthestream，andhastenedbackwithherpitcherfullofwater。Whenshesawtherunnerlyingthereasleep，shewasdelighted，andsaid，’Myenemyisgivenintomyhands！’Sheemptiedhispitcherandranon。
Everythingnowwouldhavebeenlost，ifbygoodluckthehunterhadnotbeenstandingonthecastletowerandhadseeneverythingwithhissharpeyes。
’Ah，’saidhe，’theKing’sdaughtershallnotoverreachus；’and，loadinghisgun，heshotsocleverly，thatheshotawaythehorse’sskullfromundertherunner’shead，withoutitshurtinghim。Thentherunnerawoke，jumpedup，andsawthathispitcherwasemptyandtheKing’sdaughterfarahead。Buthedidnotlosecourage，andranbacktothestreamwithhispitcher，filleditoncemorewithwater，andwashometenminutesbeforetheKing’sdaughterarrived。
’Look，’saidhe，’Ihaveonlyjustexercisedmylegs；thatwasnothingofarun。’
ButtheKingwasangry，andhisdaughterevenmoreso，thatsheshouldbecarriedawaybyacommon，dischargedsoldier。Theyconsultedtogetherhowtheycoulddestroybothhimandhiscompanions。
’Then，’saidtheKingtoher，’Ihavefoundaway。Don’tbefrightened；theyshallnotcomehomeagain。’Hesaidtothem，’Youmustnowmakemerrytogether，andeatanddrink，’andheledthemintoaroomwhichhadafloorofiron；thedoorswerealsoofiron，andthewindowswerebarredwithiron。Intheroomwasatablespreadwithdeliciousfood。TheKingsaidtothem，’Goinandenjoyyourselves，’andassoonastheywereinsidehehadthedoorsshutandbolted。Thenhemadethecookcome，andorderedhimtokeepupalargefireundertheroomuntiltheironwasred-hot。Thecookdidso，andtheSixsittingroundthetablefeltitgrowverywarm，andtheythoughtthiswasbecauseoftheirgoodfare；butwhentheheatbecamestillgreaterandtheywantedtogoout，butfoundthedoorsandwindowsfastened，thentheyknewthattheKingmeantthemharmandwastryingtosuffocatethem。
’Butheshallnotsucceed，’criedheofthelittlehat，’Iwillmakeafrostcomewhichshallmakethefireashamedanddieout！’
Soheputhishatonstraight，andatoncetherecamesuchafrostthatalltheheatdisappearedandthefoodonthedishesbegantofreeze。Whenacoupleofhourshadpassed，andtheKingthoughttheymustbequitedeadfromtheheat，hehadthedoorsopenedandwentinhimselftosee。
Butwhenthedoorswereopened，therestoodallSix，aliveandwell，sayingtheyweregladtheycouldcomeouttowarmthemselves，forthegreatcoldintheroomhadfrozenallthefoodhardinthedishes。ThentheKingwentangrilytothecook，andscoldedhim，andaskedhimwhyhehadnotdonewhathewastold。
Butthecookanswered，’Thereisheatenoughthere；seeforyourself。’ThentheKingsawahugefireburningundertheironroom，andunderstoodthathecoulddonoharmtotheSixinthisway。TheKingnowbeganagaintothinkhowhecouldfreehimselffromhisunwelcomeguests。Hecommandedthemastertocomebeforehim，andsaid，’Ifyouwilltakegold，andgiveupyourrighttomydaughter，youshallhaveasmuchasyoulike。’
’Oh，yes，yourMajesty，’answeredhe，’givemeasmuchasmyservantcancarry，andIwillgiveupyourdaughter。’
TheKingwasdelighted，andthemansaid，’Iwillcomeandfetchitinfourteendays。’
Thenhecalledallthetailorsinthekingdomtogether，andmadethemsitdownforfourteendayssewingatasack。Whenitwasfinished，hemadethestrongmanwhohaduprootedthetreestakethesackonhisshoulderandgowithhimtotheKing。ThentheKingsaid，’Whatapowerfulfellowthatis，carryingthatbaleoflinenaslargeasahouseonhisshoulder！’andhewasmuchfrightened，andthought’Whatalotofgoldhewillmakeawaywith！’Thenhehadatonofgoldbrought，whichsixteenofthestrongestmenhadtocarry；butthestrongmanseizeditwithonehand，putitinthesack，saying，’Whydon’tyoubringmemore？
Thatscarcelycoversthebottom！’ThentheKinghadtosendagainandagaintofetchhistreasures，whichthestrongmanshovedintothesack，andthesackwasonlyhalffull。
’Bringmore，’hecried，’thesecrumbsdon’tfillit。’Soseventhousandwaggonsofthegoldofthewholekingdomweredrivenup；
thesethestrongmanshovedintothesack，oxenandall。
’Iwillnolongerbeparticular，’hesaid，’andwilltakewhatcomes，sothatthesackshallbefull。’
Wheneverythingwasputinandtherewasnotyetenough，hesaid，’Iwillmakeanendofthis；itiseasytofastenasackwhenitisnotfull。’Thenhethrewitonhisbackandwentwithhiscompanions。
Now，whentheKingsawhowasinglemanwascarryingawaythewealthofthewholecountryhewasveryangry，andmadehiscavalrymountandpursuetheSix，andbringbackthestrongmanwiththesack。Tworegimentssoonovertookthem，andcalledtothem，’Youareprisoners！laydownthesackofgoldoryoushallbecutdown。’
’Whatdoyousay？’saidtheblower，’weareprisoners？Beforethat，youshalldanceintheair！’Andheheldonenostrilandblewwiththeotheratthetworegiments；theywereseparatedandblownawayintheblueskyoverthemountains，onethisway，andtheotherthat。Asergeant-majorcriedformercy，sayinghehadninewounds，andwasabravefellow，anddidnotdeservethisdisgrace。Sotheblowerlethimoff，andhecamedownwithouthurt。Thenhesaidtohim，’NowgohometotheKing，andsaythatifhesendsanymorecavalryIwillblowthemallintotheair。’
WhentheKingreceivedthemessage，hesaid，’Letthefellowsgo；
theyarebewitched。’ThentheSixbroughtthetreasurehome，shareditamongthemselves，andlivedcontentedlytilltheendoftheirdays。