and perching on his
shoulder she said, 'The wonderful palace is ready. Be of good cheer,
and lead the King to the hill just outside the city walls.' And humming
gaily she flew away again.

Ferko went at once to the King and told him the palace was finished. The
whole court went out to see the wonder, and their astonishment was great
at the sight which met their eyes. A splendid palace reared itself on
the hill just outside the walls of the city, made of the most exquisite
flowers that ever grew in mortal garden. The roof was all of crimson
roses, the windows of lilies, the walls of white carnations, the floors
of glowing auriculas and violets, the doors of gorgeous tulips and
narcissi with sunflowers for knockers, and all round hyacinths and other
sweet-smelling flowers bloomed in masses, so that the air was perfumed
far and near and enchanted all who were present.

This splendid palace had been built by the grateful queen bee, who had
summoned all the other bees in the kingdom to help her.

The King's amazement knew no bounds, and the Princess's eyes beamed with
delight as she turned them from the wonderful building on the delighted
Ferko. But the two brothers had grown quite green with envy, and only
declared the more that Ferko was nothing but a wicked magician.

The King, although he had been surprised and astonished at the way his
commands had been carried out, was very vexed that the stranger should
escape with his life, and turning to the two brothers he said, 'He has
certainly accomplished the first task, with the aid no doubt of his
diabolical magic; but what shall we give him to do now? Let us make it
as difficult as possible, and if he fails he shall die.'

Then the eldest brother replied, 'The corn has all been cut, but it has
not yet been put into barns; let the knave collect all the grain in the
kingdom into one big heap before to-morrow night, and if as much as a
stalk of corn is left let him be put to death.

The Princess grew white with terror when she heard these words; but
Ferko felt much more cheerful than he had done the first time, and
wandered out into the meadows again, wondering how he was to get out of
the difficulty. But he could think of no way of escape. The sun sank to
rest and night came on, when a little mouse started out of the grass
at Ferko's feet, and said to him, 'I'm delighted to see you, my kind
benefactor; but why are you looking so sad? Can I be of any help to you,
and thus