e there lived a peasant who had three sons. The two elder
ones used to go with him to the field and to the forest, and helped him
in his work, but the youngest remained at home with his mother, to help
her in the house. His brothers despised him for doing this, and whenever
they had a chance they used him badly.

At length the father and mother died, and the sons divided the property
among them. As might have been looked for, the elder brothers took all
that was of any value for themselves, leaving nothing to the youngest
but an old cracked kneading-trough, which neither of them thought worth
the having.

"The old trough," said one of the brothers, "will do very well for our
young brother, for he is always baking and scrubbing."

The boy thought this, as was only natural, a poor thing to inherit, but
he could do nothing, and he now recognised that it would be no use his
remaining at home, so he wished his brothers good-bye, and went off to
seek his fortune. On coming to the side of a lake he made his trough
water-tight with oakum, and converted it into a little boat. Then he
found two sticks, and using these as oars rowed away.

When he had crossed the water, he saw a large palace, and entering it,
he asked to speak with the king. The king questioned him respecting his
family and the purpose of his visit.

"I," said the boy, "am the son of a poor peasant, and all I have in the
world is an old kneading-trough. I have come here to seek work."

The king laughed when he heard this.

"Indeed," said he, "you have not inherited much, but fortune works many
a change."

He took the lad to be one of his servants, and he became a favourite for
his courage and honesty.

Now the king who owned this palace had an only daughter, who was so
beautiful and so clever that she was talked of all through the kingdom,
and many came from the east and from the west to ask her hand in
marriage. The princess, however, rejected them all, saying that none
should have her for his wife unless he brought her for a wedding-present
four valuable things belonging to a giant who lived on the other side of
the lake. These four treasures were a gold sword, three gold hens, a
gold lantern, and a gold harp.

Many king's sons and many good warriors tried to win these treasures,
but none of them came back, for the giant caught them all and eat them.
The king was very sorrowful, for he feared that at this rate his
daughter would never get a husband,