n opposite
him. On the evening of the second day he went to the master to receive
his instructions for next day's work.

The old man said, "I'll give you an easy job for to-morrow. Take the
scythe, and mow as much grass as the white mare needs for her day's
provender, and clean out the stable. But if I should come and find the
manger empty or any litter on the floor, it will go badly enough with
you. Take good heed!"

The prince was well pleased, for he thought, "I shall soon be able to
manage this piece of work, for although I have never handled either
plough or scythe before, I have often seen how easily the country-people
manage these tools, and I am quite strong enough." But when he was about
to go to bed, the maiden crept in gently, and asked in a low voice,
"What work has he given you?" "I've an easy task for to-morrow,"
answered the prince. "I have only to mow grass for the white mare, and
to clean out the stable; that's all." "O poor fellow!" sighed the
maiden, "how can you ever accomplish it? The white mare is the master's
grandmother, and she is an insatiable creature, for whom twenty mowers
could hardly provide the daily fodder, and another twenty would have to
work from morning till night to clear the litter from the stable. How
will you be able to manage both tasks alone? Take my advice, and follow
it exactly. When you have thrown a few loads of grass to the mare, you
must plait a strong rope of willow-twigs in her sight. She will ask you
what this is for, and you must answer, 'To bind you up so tightly that
you will not feel disposed to eat more than I give you, or to litter the
stable after I have cleared it.'" As soon as the girl had finished
speaking, she slid out of the room as gently as she had come, without
giving the youth time to thank her. He repeated her instructions to
himself several times, for fear of forgetting anything, and then went to
sleep.

Early next morning he set to work. He plied the scythe lustily, and soon
mowed down so much grass that he could rake several loads together. He
took one load to the mare, but when he returned with the second he found
with dismay that the manger was already empty, and that there was half a
ton of litter on the floor. He saw now that he would have been lost
without the maiden's good advice, and resolved to follow it at once. He
began to plait the rope, when the mare turned her head and asked in
astonishment, "My dear son, what do you want with this r