When they were about to leave home, the youngest son went to his father, and begged to be allowed to accompany his brothers. The old man would not listen to him, but said: "You young fool, do you think there is any one who will have you for a husband? Better is it for you to sit at home and rake in the ashes, that is the right place for you." The youth would not be diverted from his purpose, but said: "Father, let me go with them; no one can tell what will turn up. It may chance to go well with me, although I am little and younger than my brothers." The old man at last thought: "Well, it may be as well to let him go for a time, he will no doubt come back when pressed by want." Thus the youth got permission to accompany his brothers, and, on parting from his father, received, like each of them, his five shillings.
The three brothers then set out on their wanderings, and in the evening came to the same inn, and there all happened as before. The elder brothers robbed the youngest, and threw him out of the house.
After long traveling he bent his way again to the palace where he enjoyed so much ease and comfort. On reaching his destination, he entered boldly into the beautiful chamber, in which his mistress was in the habit of sitting. She received him graciously, and asked the reason for his coming. He told her that he came to offer his services, if she had need of them. The toad replied: "You are welcome, for I am in great want of a servant. If you serve me faithfully, your reward shall be greater than you now think." The youth assured her that there should be no lack of faith on his part, provided she did not require more than he could perform.
The toad said: "Your work shall be neither hard nor tedious. It shall be thy employment to gather up the branches you hast cut and tied, and lay them together in a heap in the court-yard. But you shall take up a branch every day that the sun is in the heavens, and you shall do so as well on Wednesday as on Thursday, on Yule-day as well as on Midsummer-day; and you must not take up many branches together, but a single one only. When the year is at an end, and you hast gathered up the last branch, you shall set fire to the heap and withdraw a while to thy chamber. Then go down and sweep well round the pile, that every branch may be consumed. If then you see anything in the fire, take it out and save it." The youth promised to obey these directions. She thereupon, as before, conducted him to his chamber, and went hopping away. The lad then went down into the garden, fetched a branch that he had previously cut and tied, carried it to the vacant spot where he purposed erecting the pile, and was afterwards free for the rest of the day. On the following morning he did the same, and so on through the whole year. In the palace he enjoyed every comfort, and grew up into a tall, comely young man. But his hours were passed in solitude, for he neither saw nor heard a human being, and he often thought how his brothers were probably taking home their brides, while he had not one. |
