so strong that they all
fell down dead like so many flies as soon as they had drunk any of it.
At last there was no one left but one wretched old hag who was lying
behind the stove.

'Oh, poor old creature!' said Minnikin, 'you shall have a taste of the
wort too like the rest.' So he went away and scooped up a little from
the bottom of the brewing vat in a milk pan, and gave it to her, and
then he was quit of the whole of them.

While Minnikin was now standing there looking about him, he cast his eye
on a large chest. This he took and filled it with gold and silver, and
then he tied the cable round himself and the Princess and the chest, and
tugged at the rope with all his might, whereupon his men drew them up
safe and sound.

As soon as Minnikin had got safely on his ship again, he said: 'Now go
over salt water and fresh water, over hill and dale, and do not stop
until thou comest unto the King's palace.' And in a moment the ship went
off so fast that the yellow foam rose up all round about it.

When those who were in the King's palace saw the ship, they lost no
time in going to meet him with song and music, and thus they marched up
towards Minnikin with great rejoicings; but the gladdest of all was the
King, for now he had got his other daughter back again.

But now Minnikin was not happy, for both the Princesses wanted to have
him, and he wanted to have none other than the one whom he had first
saved, and she was the younger. For this cause he was continually
walking backwards and forwards, thinking how he could contrive to get
her, and yet do nothing that was unkind to her sister. One day when he
was walking about and thinking of this, it came into his mind that if
he only had his brother, King Pippin, with him, who was so like himself
that no one could distinguish the one from the other, he could let
him have the elder Princess and half the kingdom; as for himself,
he thought, the other half was quite enough. As soon as this thought
occurred to him he went outside the palace and called for King Pippin,
but no one came. So he called a second time, and a little louder, but
no! still no one came. So Minnikin called for the third time, and with
all his might, and there stood his brother by his side.

'I told you that you were not to call me unless you were in the utmost
need,' he said to Minnikin, 'and there is not even so much as a midge
here who can do you any harm!' and with that he gave Minnikin such a
blow