How the hermit helped to win the kings daughter

y?`
`Dear me, yes, and as much more as you want,` answered he. `I am never satisfied.`
The king was not pleased at the young man agreeing so readily, but he had no choice, and ordered the servant to be taken downstairs. Oh, how he enjoyed himself! All day long he drank, and drank, and drank, till instead of half the cellar, he had drunk the whole, and there was not a cask but what stood empty. And when the king saw this he said to the youth, `You ahve conquered, and I can no longer withhold my daughter. But, as her dowry, I shall only give so much as one man can carry away.`
`But,` answered he, `let a man be ever so strong, he cannot carry more than a hundredweight, and what is that for a king`s daughter?`
`Well, do as you like; I have said my say. It is your affair–not mine.`
The young man was puzzled, and did not know what to reply, for, though he would gladly have married the princess without a sixpence, he had spent all his money in building the ship, and knew he could not give her all she wanted. So he went to the hermit and said to him, `The king will only give for her dowry as much as a man can carry. I have no money of my own left, and my brothers have none either.`
`Silly boy! Why, you have only got to fetch the man who carried half the forest on his shoulders.`
And the youth was glad, and called the strong man, and told him what he must do. `Take everything you can, till you are bent double. Never mind if you leave the palace bare.`
The strong man promised, and nobly kept his word. He piled all he could see on his back–chairs, tables, wardrobes, chests of gold and silver–till there was nothing left to pile. At last he took the king`s crown, and put it on the top. He carried his burden to the ship and stowed his treasures away, and the youth followed, leading the king`s daughter. But the king was left raging in his empty palace, and he called together his army, and got ready his ships of war, in order that he might go after the vessel and bring back what had been taken away.
And the king`s ships sailed very fast, and soon caught up the little vessel, and the sailors all shouted for joy. Then the hermit looked out and saw how near they were, and he said to the youth, `Do you see that?`
The youth shrieked and cried, `Ah, good father, it is a fleet of ships, and they are chasing us, and in a few moments they will be upon us.`
But the hermit bade him call the man who had the fog in his sack, and the sack was opened and the fog flew out, and hung right round the king`s ships, so that they could see nothing. So they sailed back to the palace, and told the king what strange things had happened. Meanwhile the young man`s vessel reached home in safety.
`Well, here you are once more` said the hermit; `and now you can fulfil the promise you made me to give me the half of all you had.`
`That will I do with all my heart,` answered the youth, and began to divide all his treasures, putting part on one side for himself and setting aside the other for his friend. `Good father, it is finished,` said he at length; `there is nothing more left to divide.`
`Nothing more left!` cried the hermit. `Why, you have forgotten the best thing of all!`
`What can that be?` asked he. `We have divided everything.`
`And the king`s daughter?` said the hermit.
Then the young man`s heart stood still, for he loved her dearly. But he answered, `It is well; I have sworn, and I will keep my word,` and drew his sword to cut her in pieces. When the hermit saw that he held his honour dearer than his wife he lifted his hand and cried, `Hold! she is yours, and all the treasures too. I gave you my help because you had pity on those that were in need. And when you are in need yourself, call upon me, and I will come to you.`
As he spoke he softly touched their heads and vanished.
The next day the wedding took place, and the two brothers came to the house, and they all lived happily together, but they never forgot the holy man who had been such a good friend.